General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI) has successfully conducted a crewed-uncrewed teaming demonstration in partnership with Lockheed Martin and L3Harris Technologies.
The demonstration was conducted at the Nevada Test and Training Range on 21 October 2025 using an F-22 Raptor fighter aircraft and a GA-ASI MQ-20 Avenger drone.
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The demonstration allowed the pilot of the F-22 to command and control the MQ-20 in flight using the Pilot Vehicle Interface tablet and the aircraft’s GRACE module, establishing end-to-end communications between the two platforms.
Engineers installed one L3Harris software-defined radio (SDR) on the MQ‑20 Avenger and another within the Lockheed Martin F‑22 Raptor.
The demo saw L3Harris’ Banshee Advanced Tactical Datalinks integrate to its Pantera SDRs, communicating using open radio architectures from Lockheed Martin. These components were integrated and operated from an F-22 Raptor aircraft.
The project highlighted non-proprietary, US government-owned communication systems along with the transition and reuse of flight hardware underpinning Open Mission Systems.
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By GlobalDataThe demonstration forms part of a continuing series of flight tests funded through internal research and development (R&D), intended to highlight “the art of the possible” in collaboration between crewed and uncrewed systems.
In June 2025 GA-ASI reported the completion of a simulated autonomous shoot-down during a test involving live and virtual aircraft, where an MQ‑20 Avenger drone carried out an autonomous missile launch against live targets.
Previously, between 19–21 February 2025 at Edwards Air Force Base in California, GA‑ASI operated an MQ‑20 Avenger equipped with autonomy software provided by the US government, also known as a reference autonomy stack.
The trial was conducted during the Orange Flag 25‑1 test series.
The MQ-20 Avenger belongs to GA-ASI’s Predator series of uncrewed aircraft systems, which also features the MQ-9A Reaper, MQ-1C Gray Eagle, and the MQ-9B SkyGuardian Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) and SeaGuardian models.
In July 2025, Denmark procured four MQ-9B SkyGuardian from GA-ASI to strengthen surveillance capabilities over the Baltic Sea, as well as the Arctic and North Atlantic regions.
