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Introduction to the TWZ Newsletter
The TWZ Newsletter provides weekly insights and analysis on the latest developments in military technology, strategy, and foreign policy.
General Atomics’ LongShot Drone
New renderings from General Atomics offer a fresh look at the company’s air-launched LongShot drone, which could be employed from F-15 fighters, B-52 bombers, and C-17 cargo aircraft. The LongShot drone is part of a Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) program exploring the concept of an uncrewed aircraft capable of firing air-to-air missiles that can be deployed in mid-air. This technology aims to extend the reach and reduce the vulnerability of the launch platform.
Development and Testing
DARPA awarded contracts to General Atomics, Lockheed Martin, and Northrop Grumman for initial work on LongShot concepts in 2020. General Atomics was chosen to continue work on its design in 2023. The company has begun wind tunnel testing and expects to conduct the first flight next year. The schedule has slipped from the original plan to fly before the end of 2023, with the new target set for some time in Fiscal Year 2025.
Design and Capabilities
The LongShot drone features an elongated fuselage, a chined nose, small canards at the front, and reverse-swept main wings toward the rear. It has an inverted V-shaped twin-tail configuration and a streamlined tail-like extension. The drone’s main wings can pop out, and the canards can fold up from a stowed position after launch. The expected specifications and capabilities of the LongShot drone remain limited, but it is designed to capitalize on a slower speed and fuel efficiency for ingress while retaining highly energetic air-to-air missiles for target engagements.
Employment and Control
LongShot drones could be launched from various platforms, including F-15 fighters, B-52 bombers, and C-17 cargo aircraft. The drones could also be controlled from a command module on the launching platform, forward assets, airborne command and control platforms, or even from a distance via a beyond-line-of-sight datalink capability. The level of autonomous capability of the LongShot drones could allow them to operate in a more independent manner.
Potential Applications
The LongShot drone could be used to extend the range at which a launch platform can fire on targets, keeping them further away from threats. The drones could also provide additional localized defense, saturate a particular section of the battlespace with air-to-air assets, and rapidly deploy a temporary counter-air screen. The potential applications of the LongShot drone are vast, and it could feed into other efforts, such as the Air Force’s Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) drone program.
Future Developments
The Pentagon’s proposed budget includes plans to complete fabrication and checkout of wind tunnel ground test vehicles, continue fabrication of flight test vehicles, and conduct full-scale wind-tunnel testing. The program objectives also include airworthiness certification, host aircraft integration, and pit drop testing of missile mass simulant from the LongShot ground test vehicle. Flight testing activities are expected to begin in Fiscal Year 2026, following integration on a tactical platform, with live-fire demonstrations planned.
Conclusion
As General Atomics and DARPA move closer to kicking off the flight test campaign, more details about the LongShot drone and its capabilities may emerge. The potential of this technology to revolutionize the way air dominance is achieved is significant, and its development is being closely watched.
Contact the author: joe@twz.com