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The Marine Corps has selected Northrop Grumman and Kratos to develop its forthcoming Marine Corps Air-Ground Task Force Uncrewed Expeditionary Tactical Aircraft (MUX TACAIR) Collaborative Combat Aircraft, an unmanned wingman that will fly alongside manned fighter jets.
Northrop will develop a mission kit and open-architecture software for Kratos’s existing VX-58 Valkyrie, according to a joint Thursday press release.
“With more than 20 successful flight demonstrations in operationally relevant environments, Northrop Grumman and Kratos are offering the U.S. Marine Corps a low risk, expedited path to MUX TACAIR mission capability and persistent joint crewed and uncrewed expeditionary operations,” the release said.
The initial award is for $231.5 million, Breaking Defense reported, over two years, through an other transaction agreement that bypasses the traditional procurement process and allows development to move more quickly.
The Air Force has been leading larger, higher-profile efforts to develop robot wingmen—formally, combat collaborative aircraft—but the Marine Corps requested $58 million in its most recent budget request to fund the development of its own CCA.
“We are committed to the development of a robust Combat Collaborative Aircraft capability and think this model of manned-unmanned teaming is just as relevant on the sea and under the sea,” Gen. Eric Smith, the service’s commandant, told the Senate Appropriations Committee in written testimony last summer. “We are exploring options that would provide our future MEUs with such capabilities.”
Smith mentioned that the Corps had tested out the Valkyrie through the Rapid Defense Experimentation Reserve as part of the Marine Corps’ Penetrating Affordable Autonomous Collaborative Killer – Portfolio (PAACK-P) “experiment,” and that those lessons learned would inform the forthcoming MUC TACAIR program, aiming to pair the CCA with the F-35.
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11 Comments
The development of a robot wingman like the MUX TACAIR could significantly enhance the Marine Corps’ capabilities in expeditionary operations, allowing for more flexible and adaptive responses to emerging threats.
The Marine Corps’ request for $58 million in its most recent budget to fund the development of its own CCA demonstrates the service’s dedication to staying at the forefront of military technology and innovation.
Northrop Grumman and Kratos’s existing partnership and experience with the VX-58 Valkyrie will likely be a significant advantage in developing the MUX TACAIR, as they can build upon their previous work and expertise.
The goal of pairing the CCA with the F-35 is ambitious, and I wonder how the Marine Corps plans to address potential integration challenges and ensure seamless communication between the manned and unmanned aircraft.
The mention of ‘operationally relevant environments’ in the press release suggests that the Marine Corps is prioritizing practical, real-world applications for the MUX TACAIR, which could lead to more effective deployment and utilization of the technology.
I’m concerned about the potential risks associated with developing and deploying unmanned aircraft, particularly in terms of cybersecurity and the potential for enemy forces to compromise or hijack the systems.
The $231.5 million initial award for the development of the Marine Corps Air-Ground Task Force Uncrewed Expeditionary Tactical Aircraft is a significant investment, and I’m curious to see how Northrop Grumman and Kratos will utilize this funding to expedite the development process.
This amount is substantial, but considering the potential benefits of having a robot wingman, it might be worth it in the long run.
Gen. Eric Smith’s statement about exploring options for manned-unmanned teaming on the sea and under the sea highlights the Marine Corps’ commitment to innovative technologies, and I’m excited to see how this project will unfold.
The fact that the Marine Corps has already tested the Valkyrie through the Rapid Defense Experimentation Reserve as part of the PAACK-P experiment suggests that they have a head start on developing the MUX TACAIR program, which could lead to faster deployment.
I’m skeptical about the use of an other transaction agreement to bypass the traditional procurement process, as it may raise concerns about transparency and accountability in the development of the Collaborative Combat Aircraft.