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Category: UAV

MQ-9 carries out first landing on a dirt landing zone

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In a groundbreaking achievement for the Air Force Special Operations Command, the MQ-9 Reaper, a remotely piloted aircraft, has accomplished its inaugural landing on a dirt landing zone. This milestone was made possible by the collaborative efforts of the 2nd Special Operations Squadron, 727th Special Operations Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, 311th Special Operations Intelligence Squadron, and the 26th Special Tactics Squadron.


U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Alysa Calvarese
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Game-changing collaboration: Kratos Defense and Shield AI unveil AI pilot for XQ-58

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Kratos and Shield AI have entered into an agreement to integrate an AI pilot developed by Shield AI into Kratos’ XQ-58 Valkyrie, marking a significant step towards crewed-uncrewed teaming for jet aircraft. This collaboration aims to address the growing challenge of electronic warfare and ensure operational effectiveness even in GPS-denied and communication-jammed environments.

U.S. Air Force Research Lab delivers Kratos XQ-58 Valkyrie to the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force. (U.S. Air Force photo by Ty Greenlees)

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First four AVPs to earn their “Wings of Gold”

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In a historic moment for Naval Aviation, the first four Air Vehicle Pilots (AVPs) have successfully completed their rigorous training and earned their prestigious “Wings of Gold.” These exceptional individuals have paved the way for a new era of aviation, combining the strengths of manned and unmanned platforms.


U.S. Navy Photo by Ensign Elias Kaser
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MQ-9 has landed on a highway for the first time

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In a historic exercise, the U.S. Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) conducted two successful highway landings in Wyoming during Exercise Agile Chariot. The MC-130J Commando II, an MQ-9 Reaper, two A-10 Thunderbolt IIs, and two MH-6 Little Birds all landed on Highways 287 and 789 on Apr. 30 and May 2, 2023, respectively.

An MQ-9 Reaper lands on Highway 287 during Exercise Agile Chariot, April 30, 2023, honing capabilities linked to Agile Combat Employment. Instead of relying on large, fixed bases and infrastructure, ACE uses smaller, more dispersed locations and teams to rapidly move and support aircraft, pilots, and other personnel to wherever they are needed. There are millions of miles of public roads in the United States, including federal, state, and local roads – with Agile Combat Employment, including Forward Arming and Refueling Point (FARP) and Integrated Combat Turnarounds (ICT), it can become millions of miles of public runways, when necessary. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Carly Kavish)

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