Boeing has converted six Lockheed Martin F-16s into QF-16 target drones and is on track to reach initial operational capability by the first quarter of Fiscal 2016, Boeing spokesman Lorenzo Cortez told Air Force Magazine. The QF-16s are presently performing test missions at Tyndall AFB, Fla., and White Sands Missile Range, N.M. As of now, the QF-16 is limited to line-of-sight operations, but Boeing is working to address those limitations. “We are presently completing flight tests of the QF-16 for the aerial target requirements. This includes a line-of-sight datalink, which meets those requirements” for longer range remote piloting, said Cortez. The Air Force contracted Boeing in 2010 to convert 126 retired F-16 Falcons into QF-16 aerial drones. (See also QF-16 Flies with Empty Cockpit.)
Competitors Not Picked for CCA Look Forward to Increment 2
April 25, 2024
While none of the major aircraft contractors were selected to develop the Collaborative Combat Aircraft, all three say they are seeking further autonomous aircraft work for the Navy, foreign partners, or in the classified arena, and maybe future versions of the CCA itself.