An F-35 Lightning II pilot recently sent tactical autonomy commands to an MQ-20 Avenger via tablet as part of a manned-unmanned teaming demonstration.
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems announced that, following a series of tests using the F-22 Raptor, its MQ-20 Avenger drone has finally been paired with the F-35 Lightning II fighter jet. The company did not disclose when the manned-unmanned teaming (MUM-T) demonstration took place.
This test was conducted jointly with the F-35 Joint Program Office, 309th Software Engineering Group, 461st Flight Test Squadron, 370th Flight Test Squadron, Lockheed Martin, and Autonodyne. The MQ-20 is equipped with GA-ASI’s TacACE (Tactical Autonomy Ecosystem) software, which is based on A-GRA (Autonomy Government Reference Architecture).
As with previous tests, the MQ-20 served as a surrogate Cooperative Combat Aircraft (CCA) to help accelerate the U.S. Air Force’s introduction of the new platform. GA-ASI is currently producing and testing the YFQ-42A CCA for Increment 1 of the program.
The company said it demonstrated the ability of CCA and the F-35 to use tactically spread low-orbit data links to achieve seamless coordination. Specifically, F-35 pilots issued tactical autonomous commands using a tablet in the cockpit.
These commands were relayed to the MQ-20’s TacACE software and transmitted to the MQ-20 via Beyond Line of Sight (BLOS) communications. Specifically, the company said the F-35 was on the ground when the pilot sent the command.
It is unclear whether the fighter joined the MQ-20 during the flight. In previous tests of the F-22 Raptor, the company did not explicitly mention that the manned aircraft was on the ground.
The company also explained that the F-35 and MQ-20 demonstrations validated the hardware, software, network and other systems needed for MUM-T. “The MQ-20 successfully exchanged critical autonomous responses with the F-35, and the F-35 was able to send autonomous commands to the MQ-20 through the Bashi pilot vehicle interface, directing the MQ-20 to execute tactical maneuvers, coordinate waypoints, and relay ADS-B tracking data to the F-35,” he noted.
The Bashi PVI, produced by Autonodyne, was also previously used to control the MQ-20 on the F-22. The tablet-based system has been described as platform agnostic as it is built on an open and government architecture, allowing for rapid integration into the warfighter.
“This important warfighter integration milestone marks the beginning of operational readiness for cooperative combat aircraft and represents a near-term opportunity for force integration,” said Michael Atwood, vice president of advanced programs. “Events like these promote GA-ASI’s ongoing commitment to the adoption of next-generation data links, mission autonomy, and unmanned air warfare operations.”
The latest test is another step toward the development of the Cooperative Combat Aircraft (CCA), an unmanned system designed to operate alongside pilot-controlled fighter jets as a force multiplier in what until a few years ago was called the “loyal wingman scenario.” In this role, autonomous aircraft like the MQ-20 can extend sensor range, increase survivability, and take on missions that could put the lives of human pilots at risk.
It is not unexpected that the F-22 was included in the majority of MUM-T test missions. In fact, the F-22 is CCA’s so-called “critical platform.” The U.S. Air Force initially plans to pair the CCA only with the F-22 Raptor.
The Air Force is also considering the F-35A, F-16, F-15E and F-15EX as future platforms to integrate with CCA. Meanwhile, as testing of the YFQ-42 and YFQ-44 progressed, the MQ-20 Avenger was used as a surrogate CCA platform for more than five years.
previous test
Earlier this year, the U.S. Air Force and General Atomics Aeronautical Systems conducted an autonomous demonstration involving F-22 Raptor and MQ-20 Avenger unmanned aerial vehicles equipped with the latest government-standard autonomy software. The test took place at Edwards Air Force Base, California and focused on MUM-T validation using two platforms.
Pilots aboard the F-22 served as command aircraft and issued orders to the MQ-20. The drone, acting as a CCA surrogate, received and executed these commands, demonstrating the ability to operate in coordination with crewed fighter aircraft in realistic operational scenarios.
The demonstration also demonstrated the ability of the two aircraft to exchange information via a tactical data link. Using the Autonodyne Bashi Pilot Vehicle Interface (PVI), the F-22 was able to send autonomous missions directly to the MQ-20 and direct it to perform tactical maneuvers, coordinate waypoints, fly combat air patrol profiles, and execute simulated threat engagement missions.
A similar test was conducted last year. On October 21, 2025, the F-22 and MQ-20 teamed up to demonstrate the integration of L3Harris’ BANSHEE Advanced Tactical Datalink and Pantera software-defined radio (SDR) over Lockheed Martin’s open radio architecture. All integrated and shared in Raptor.
As described in a previous article, F-22 pilots used the tablet’s PVI and the F-22’s Government Reference Architecture Compute Environment (GRACE) module to command the MQ-20 in flight. The latter is new software being integrated into the Raptor, allowing “non-traditional F-22 software” to be installed on the aircraft and providing “additional processing and pilot interfaces.”
