USAF has announced, it has awarded Kratos and General Atomics contracts worth a total of $20 million for R&D activities of the Skyborg drone concept.
According to the contracts, Kratos will receive additional 13.2 million dollars to develop its XQ-58 drone and General Atomics will receive 7 million dollars to develop MQ-20 Avenger.
Both unmanned aircraft systems will be used as part of the U.S. Air Force’s future autonomous systems plan.
Systems are intended to be integrated into the Leidos-built Autonomous Core System so they can be used from a single center.
211216-N-QI061-1222 NAVAL STATION MAYPORT, Fla. (December 16, 2021) An MQ-4C Triton Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS), assigned to Unmanned Patrol Squadron 19 (VUP-19), sits on the flight line at Naval Station Mayport, Florida, Dec. 16, 2021. VUP-19, the Navy’s first Triton squadron, will continue to maintain and operate the aircraft off the East Coast to further develop the concept of operations and refine tactics, techniques, and procedures. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Nathan T. Beard/ Released)