F-22 Raptor Pilot Successfully Controls MQ-20 Avenger Drone in Mock Combat Test — A Major Step Toward Future Air Warfare

In a groundbreaking demonstration earlier this year, a U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptor pilot remotely controlled an MQ-20 Avenger combat drone directly from the fighter’s cockpit during a simulated combat mission. The trial, revealed by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems during the Dubai Airshow 2025, marks a major milestone in the evolution of crewed-uncrewed teaming (C-U-T) and the future of air combat autonomy.

A conceptual view of the groundbreaking C-U-T demonstration, showing an F-22 pilot using a cockpit interface to remotely direct multiple MQ-20 Avenger drones during a simulated combat mission over the Nevada Test and Training Range. This capability is a major step toward future Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) integration.

The test took place over the Nevada Test and Training Range (NTTR) and was supported by Lockheed Martin and L3Harris. The mission showcased how a single-seat fighter pilot can command a high-performance autonomous drone alongside their own aircraft in real operational conditions.

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How the System Worked

The demonstration integrated:

• L3Harris BANSHEE advanced tactical datalink

• Pantera software-defined radios installed on both aircraft

• Lockheed Martin’s GRACE open-architecture computing module

• A tablet-based Pilot Vehicle Interface (PVI) inside the F-22 cockpit

Through the cockpit interface, the pilot directed the MQ-20’s flight tasks and mission behaviors, proving the ability to control a drone while engaged in a combat orientation.

General Atomics spokesperson C. Mark Brinkley stated that the MQ-20 “continues to serve as an autonomy accelerator, pushing the envelope for future Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) development.”

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Why This Demonstration Matters

The U.S. Air Force is aggressively moving toward integrating Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) drones into future combat formations. The F-22 Raptor will be the first aircraft capable of controlling these drones, before later integrating platforms like:

• F-35A

• F-16

• F-15E / F-15EX

• And eventually the Next-Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) fighter, also referred to as F-47

The concept allows stealth fighters to guide cheaper autonomous wingmen to:

• Increase firepower & battlefield mass

• Penetrate heavily defended airspace

• Conduct high-risk missions without endangering pilots

Current USAF plans include procurement of 100–150 CCAs in the first phase, with hundreds more in follow-on increments. Both General Atomics (YFQ-42A) and Anduril (YFQ-44A) have already flown prototypes.

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Challenges Ahead: The Human–Machine Balance

Although the demonstration used a tablet interface, even industry leaders are unsure if tablets are the right long-term solution—pilots in single-seat fighters already face massive workload pressure. Experiments like this help determine how much control is needed from the cockpit versus onboard autonomy.

“Flying the jet and controlling another aircraft simultaneously is extremely challenging,” General Atomics noted, emphasizing the need for intuitive automation rather than micromanagement.

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A New Era of Air Dominance

Lockheed Martin’s Skunk Works division, which led the demonstration effort, described it as a major leap toward the future of warfare where one fighter controls multiple autonomous wingmen in real time.

This marks the first visible step toward air combat formations consisting of a single crewed aircraft and multiple intelligent, expendable unmanned partners — providing unmatched tactical flexibility and firepower.

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Final Takeaway

The MQ-20 Avenger / F-22 control test proves that the U.S. Air Force is rapidly advancing toward a new era of AI-enabled autonomous air combat, where manned fighters remain the brain while autonomous drones provide reach, numbers, and risk-tolerant capabilities.

The implications for the future battlefield are enormous:
Fewer pilots in danger, more strategic options, and a redefined model of air superiority.

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Original Source

The original article was published by Yahoo / The War Zone and can be viewed here:
https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/f-22-pilot-controls-mq-181322942.html