The Air Force Academy has selected Insitu’s ScanEagle remotely piloted aircraft to train cadets on planning and executing RPA missions. “ScanEagle was chosen because it is a superior system that is extremely intuitive, giving cadets a hands-on learning experience almost from day one,” said Lt. Col. David Latham of the academy. He noted that ScanEagle is well-suited for operations at higher altitudes and in extreme temperatures. “At a fraction of the cost of larger [RPA] platforms, the ScanEagle provides a cost-effective and efficient option for the Air Force to train cadets,” added Insitu’s Mary Margaret Evans. Insitu is a wholly owned independent subsidiary of Boeing (Insitu release)
Anduril and General Atomics will develop their Collaborative Combat Aircraft for the Air Force, beating out Boeing, Lockheed Martin, and Northrop Grumman, the service announced on April 24. But any of the non-selected companies can compete to actually manufacture the eventual design, the Air Force said.