THAT’S A NICE WAY OF SAYING “DISPOSABLE”: Skunk Works Sees Big Opportunity For ‘Attritable’ UAVs.

The company has been working over the past decade to mature autonomous flight control systems that enable cooperative teaming between unmanned combat air vehicle (UCAV) and manned warplanes. The company recently demonstrated this know-how through a series of “Have Raider” technology demonstrations supported by AFRL, using a surrogate F-16.

The Skunk Works Low-Cost Attritable Aircraft team, led by program manager Joe Pokora, has also been designing optionally reusable airframes that would incorporate that Have Raider technology. The firm’s designs would leverage advanced manufacturing techniques and different materials to keep cost low. The Air Force set a target of under $3 million per unit.

Pokora says in a written statement that the company is specifically focused on moderate to high subsonic designs powered by efficient turbofan engines. The mission range of these aircraft exceeds 2,500 mi., he adds.

The company’s aircraft concepts are broadly described as “attritable aircraft.” They are built to fly multiple times, but cheap enough to launch on one-way suicide missions, if required. Military operators wouldn’t be too concerned if one or two were shot down conducting a critical surveillance or strike mission inside hostile enemy airspace.

We need more combat planes but can’t retain enough pilots — problem solved?