The Air Current
• Jon Ostrower
Anduril and General Atomics are vying for a role in the U.S. Air Force’s uncrewed fighter strategy, putting their technologies and ability to deliver in a consequential competition. The outcome could shape each company’s position in military aviation as the service pursues uncrewed combat aircraft.
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Anduril and General Atomics are vying for a role in the U.S. Air Force’s uncrewed fighter strategy, putting their technologies and ability to deliver in a consequential competition. The outcome could shape each company’s position in military aviation as the service pursues uncrewed combat aircraft.
Battlefield drones range from remotely piloted aircraft to systems capable of advanced autonomous operation. The five-level framework describes how control shifts from human operators to onboard systems, with implications for how drones are used in modern military operations.
Maxwell Aircraft has introduced the M1 Hybrid, a patent-pending amphibious design that uses electric propulsion for takeoff and climb, then fuel-powered engines for cruise. The company says the aircraft is intended for cargo and passenger transport, with a targeted payload of 2,000 pounds and range of 1,000 nautical miles.
At Defence Lab Erding, CIR Maj. Gen. Pötzsch described a German space intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) chain aiming to move from orbital observation to decision in 15 minutes. He identified human processing as the bottleneck in reaching that target.
CACI says its SkyValor system can detect radio-frequency signatures from unmanned aircraft at ranges up to 75 km, giving operators more time to assess and respond to drone threats, including swarms. The announcement highlights the role of longer-range detection in counter-UAS operations.
The FAA has taken a step toward certifying Embraer’s automated takeoff system for the E-Jet E2 family. Embraer says the technology is intended to improve safety and enable higher takeoff weights, adding automation to the aircraft’s takeoff sequence.
The companies have tested Saab’s LoyalEye airborne early-warning capability integrated into General Atomics’ MQ-9B, using new mission pods that first flew in May 2026. The effort combines an uncrewed aircraft with an airborne surveillance system; the companies have not disclosed performance data or customer commitments.
The article argues that U.S. defense strategy’s reliance on high-performance, stationary radar installations has left costly sensors vulnerable on a modern battlefield. It makes the case for passive, mobile sensor architectures as a way to improve resilience and sustain sensing capability under attrition.
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