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Modern air operations are being stretched by distance, cost, and risk. Fighter aircraft are expected to operate deeper into contested airspace, while facing increasingly dense air defenses and electronic warfare. Extending reach usually means deploying more tankers and support aircraft, all of which add vulnerability. At the same time, using crewed fighters for every sensing or strike task is becoming both expensive and operationally risky.
A new generation of uncrewed combat aircraft is being shaped to address that imbalance. The latest configuration of the MQ-28 “loyal wingman” drone reflects a shift from experimentation to deployable capability. Designed to fly alongside crewed fighters, the aircraft is being reworked to stay airborne longer, carry weapons internally, and adapt quickly to different missions within a single airframe.
According to Interesting Engineering, the most visible change is structural. The redesigned version features a larger wing, increasing fuel capacity by roughly 30 percent and extending operational range. This allows the aircraft to accompany fighters over longer distances without relying on additional support assets. Equally significant is the introduction of internal weapons bays. By carrying missiles or precision-guided bombs inside the fuselage, the drone can strike or defend itself while maintaining a lower observable profile than externally armed platforms.
The aircraft is built around modularity. Its nose section can be swapped to accommodate different sensor packages, ranging from infrared search-and-track systems to electronic warfare payloads. This allows the same platform to be configured for sensing, jamming, targeting, or strike support depending on mission needs. The underlying architecture is designed to accept new payloads without major redesign, supporting rapid upgrades as requirements evolve.
Recent testing has shown the concept moving beyond theory. In coordinated trials, the uncrewed aircraft has operated alongside crewed fighters and airborne command platforms, including live missile launches as part of a networked formation. These demonstrations underline its intended role as a force multiplier rather than a standalone asset.
From a defense perspective, collaborative combat aircraft address several pressing challenges. They can absorb risk in high-threat environments, extend sensor coverage, and increase the number of weapons available to a formation without adding pilots to the cockpit. They are also seen as a more sustainable way to generate mass in the air, complementing high-end fighters rather than replacing them.
As air forces adapt to longer ranges and more contested skies, uncrewed wingmen like this are becoming central to how future airpower is structured—less about individual platforms, and more about tightly connected teams of crewed and uncrewed aircraft operating together.
