XQ-58 as “wingman” for F-22 or F-35

[brockrwood]

I read an article about the XQ-58 pilotless combat drone. The article says one role is to be a “loyal wingman” for a piloted F-22 or F-35.

But the XQ-58 is strictly subsonic with a cruise speed about the same as a 737. How can it be a wingman to a supersonic fighter jet?

Still, cool aircraft. I like the no-runway, rocket take off.

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/xq-58-valkyrie-is-now-flying-with-the-marine-corps

 

[Rob Campbell]

XQ-58 isn't an operational weapons system, it is a technogy demonstrator whose purpose is to demonstrate and validate the autonomy algorithms.

 

[Huxter]

 

[cls]

Runway independent, RATO, that's cool.

Looks great with that top wide air intake.

But is it worthy of the name, Valkyrie?

 

[lakeroadster]

I read an article about the XQ-58 pilotless combat drone. The article says one role is to be a “loyal wingman” for a piloted F-22 or F-35.

But the XQ-58 is strictly subsonic with a cruise speed about the same as a 737. How can it be a wingman to a supersonic fighter jet?

Still, cool aircraft. I like the no-runway, rocket take off.

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/xq-58-valkyrie-is-now-flying-with-the-marine-corps

Yeah... that's cool. I may have to take a stab at this one.​

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Update: XQ-58 Valkyrie - A Scratch Build / Scratch Design​

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[cwbullet]

That plane is an awesome idea. I am excited to see what mission they adopt for it to do.

 

[Rob Campbell]

That plane is an awesome idea. I am excited to see what mission they adopt for it to do.

Air-to-Air with the Loyal Wingman providing extra missiles, Air-tp-Surface with the Loyal Wingman providing extra mass, Lethal SEAD in contested environments where a manned platform is at risk.

 

[brockrwood]

Air-to-Air with the Loyal Wingman providing extra missiles, Air-tp-Surface with the Loyal Wingman providing extra mass, Lethal SEAD in contested environments where a manned platform is at risk.

Developing the XQ-58 does beg this question: At some point, will combat aircraft not even need a pilot? Will it be our robots versus their robots?

 

[kuririn]

https://www.rocketryforum.com/threads/australias-new-warplane.165052/

 

[kuririn]

Yeah... that's cool. I may have to take a stab at this one.​

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View attachment 609230​

The intake on top reminds me of the F-107.

 

[Rob Campbell]

Developing the XQ-58 does beg this question: At some point, will combat aircraft not even need a pilot? Will it be our robots versus their robots?

We are on the fast track toward Battlestar Galactica.

 

[John Kemker]

We are on the fast track toward Battlestar Galactica.

By your command.

 

[Iya2]

Anti-air missiles are relatively cheap to make and can be produced in large quantity. The Valkyrie will be a missile decoy as much as it will be a wingman. It'll hurt much less to lose a drone that cost tens of millions of dollars. I think for that reason it doesn't need to be as capable as either the 22 or 34.

 

[Iya2]

I think the war in Ukraine has taught us that saturation is going to be a key component of victory with near peer enemies.

 

[NTP2]

It’s a test bed for AI in combat I think that they don’t expect to get much effect at this stage. Because judging by nonmilitary programs like GPT it can fly it can shoot but not both at the same time.

 

[NTP2]

It’s a test bed for AI in combat I think that they don’t expect to get much effect at this stage. Because judging by nonmilitary programs like GPT it can fly it can shoot but not both at the same time.

Ignore I pressed reply instead of edit.

 

[cwbullet]

I would be happy for use to have fewer piloted aircraft. You can't hold a drone hostage.

 

[sr205347d]

I think the war in Ukraine has taught us that saturation is going to be a key component of victory with near peer enemies.

"Quantity has a quality all its own." Joseph Stalin.

 

[NTP2]

"Quantity has a quality all its own." Joseph Stalin.

I feel compelled to point out that he was not a man who is remembered for good advice.

 

[sr205347d]

I feel compelled to point out that he was not a man who is remembered for good advice.

Was he not effective fighting the Nazis? He would send soldiers into battle without rifles, expecting them to pick up weapons from the dead.

 

[NTP2]

Was he not effective fighting the Nazis? He would send soldiers into battle without rifles, expecting them to pick up weapons from the dead.

Good point… but he did that, so bad point? I’m conflicted.

 

[Alan15578]

Anti-air missiles are relatively cheap to make and can be produced in large quantity. The Valkyrie will be a missile decoy as much as it will be a wingman. It'll hurt much less to lose a drone that cost tens of millions of dollars. I think for that reason it doesn't need to be as capable as either the 22 or 34.

So, It's modern Quail missile?

 

[BABAR]

The intake on top reminds me of the F-107.
View attachment 609306

that bulge was a severe dog fighting disadvantage, as you simply could not “check six” to see if you had a Mig on your tail. Today’s helmet hardware however apparently gives the pilot the equivalent of Wonder Woman’s Invisible Plane from a viewing perspective, so wouldn’t be a problem (as long as the helmet is working!)

 

[BABAR]

Good point… but he did that, so bad point? I’m conflicted.

Nobody is completely useless. They can always serve as a bad example.

I had four different commanding officers at USAFA. Two were outstanding. I learned a lot from all four.

 

[BABAR]

Developing the XQ-58 does beg this question: At some point, will combat aircraft not even need a pilot? Will it be our robots versus their robots?

Hard part will be how much independent decision making will you give the AI? Will rules of engagement be different? Do you NEED a human on scene for SOME decisions?

in a way we have something similar with our military forces, with ultimate authority resting with a civilian President, under constitutional law. In Vietnam, that was a disaster, when Johnson‘s idiot Civilians took this to the point of picking out individual targets and setting up asinine engagement rules. But a military dictatorship is still worse. A military coup is in that sense not all that different from a rogue AI.

The “Terminator” fear is creating an AI that potentially has the ability, resources, and AUTHORITY to over-ride its human creator(s). At some point the computers ARE going to figure out that (at least at times) their human masters ARE a bunch of idiots!

 

[cwbullet]

Hard part will be how much independent decision making will you give the AI? Will rules of engagement be different? Do you NEED a human on scene for SOME decisions?

in a way we have something similar with our military forces, with ultimate authority resting with a civilian President, under constitutional law. In Vietnam, that was a disaster, when Johnson‘s idiot Civilians took this to the point of picking out individual targets and setting up asinine engagement rules. But a military dictatorship is still worse. A military coup is in that sense not all that different from a rogue AI.

The “Terminator” fear is creating an AI that potentially has the ability, resources, and AUTHORITY to over-ride its human creator(s). At some point the computers ARE going to figure out that (at least at times) their human masters ARE a bunch of idiots!

It is scary. I think we have ot have a human decision somewhere in the tree.

 

[sr205347d]

USAFA

Zoomie here too. ‘76.

 

[BABAR]

Zoomie here too. ‘76.

Navy down.
Army to go!