Though today’s agreement stops short of stipulating a completion date – the project had originally been earmarked for a 2029 completion but has been delayed by at least four years.
Lockheed Martin’s famed Skunk Works division, working alongside industry partners and the United States Air Force, has successfully demonstrated the ability for a pilot of a fifth-generation fighter jet to control an unmanned aircraft while in flight.
The contract with Boeing Defence Australia (BDA) will fund enhancements to both the aircraft and ground systems over the next decade.
