Boeing won a $25.7 million contract from the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center late Monday, Kratos a $37.7 million contract and privately held General Atomics a $14 million contract. The three companies have until May to deliver the drone prototypes to the Air Force so the service can perform flight tests ahead of expected experimentation events in July.
The experiments will feature the drones teamed up with piloted aircraft. Air Force officials have said they could fly with fighters like Lockheed Martin's (LMT) F-35 and Boeing's F-15EX, collecting data with onboard sensors and sharing it with pilots.
The companies have deep experience with building drones. Boeing is already building the MQ-25 Stingray aerial-refueling drone for the Navy, while Kratos tested out its XQ-58 Valkyrie drone for the Air Force last year.
Boeing is also developing prototypes for Royal Australian Air Force's "Loyal Wingman" program that also aims to team drones with piloted aircraft....MORE
