The US resumes the drone program that simulates the Chinese J20 and Russian Su57 fighters
The United States Department of Defense (DoD), reports Aviation Week, has relaunched its Fifth Generation Aerial Target (5GAT) program that had previously been put on hold. Interrupted in 2020 after a prototype crashed during its maiden flight, the program aims to mimic the performance of a Chinese J-20 or Russian Su 57 fighter to test the responsiveness of US defense assets. The 5GAT program received a new $77 million cash injection, with Advanced Technology International being awarded the contract.
Back from a dusty warehouse
The first 5GAT, part of a program considered to have failed, was built by California-based Sierra Technical Services (STS) and met "all ground test objectives" prior to testing. However, a software glitch caused the prototype to crash during its flight on October 23, 2020. The program was then mothballed indefinitely..
In 2021, the Test and Resources Management Center (TRMC) took over the 5GAT program from the Director of Operational Test and Evaluation (DOT&E). In April 2022, the TRMC then issued a call for bids to find an advanced, inexpensive aerial target to evaluate a new generation of fighters, air-to-air weapons, and targeting sensors through a U.S. Army contracting office.
“The goal of the program is to achieve game-changing high-risk/high-reward game-changing advances that advance capability for [military test and evaluation] activities, thereby mitigating the time to obsolescence of associated military capabilities, the TRMC said in a contract award announcement.
“Due to the increasing cost and life span of the latest fifth generation of combat aircraft, there are no unused airframes available that adequately represent the characteristics of fifth generation threats. Key among these characteristics is the size, signature, and payloads of electronic attacks,” the ad explains.
The Department of Test and Evaluation (DOT&E) began evaluating designs for a 5GAT in 2006. DOT&E worked with experts, including retired Lockheed Martin Skunk Works engineers, to produce a concept design. In 2015, DOT&E had spent $11 million to advance the program. Two years later, STS was awarded a $36.7 million contract to build and fly the first two prototypes.
The resulting aircraft design aims to have very limited radar imaging to effectively evaluate new technologies against stealthy airborne threats. Major systems, including GE Aerospace J85 engines, are being harvested from retired aircraft such as the Northrop T-38 Talon to reduce costs.
Now there will be production
“Upon the successful completion of this prototype effort, the Government anticipates that a subsequent manufacturing effort may be awarded via contract or transaction, with no competitive process if participants in this transaction complete the prototype project as awarded. Successful completion will occur when the prototypes have been validated and are accepted by the government. Additionally, the government reserves the right to determine that part or all of the prototype design has been successfully completed if the supplier shows a particularly favorable or unexpected result that warrants moving to production,” the announcement explains.
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The article US resumes drone program that simulates Chinese J20 and Russian Su57 fighter jets comes from Scenari Economics .
This is a machine translation of a post published on Scenari Economici at the URL https://scenarieconomici.it/gli-usa-riprendono-il-programma-di-droni-che-simulano-i-caccia-cinesi-j20-e-russi-su57/ on Sat, 19 Aug 2023 10:43:44 +0000.