The U.S. Air Force has announced the validation of an ambitious program that will transform old U.S. jet fighters such as early versions of the General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon into autonomous combat drones acting as wingmen to manned U.S. fighters into combat.

This test is part of a program called "Have Raider II" whose aim is to transform older U.S. fighters into autonomous wingmen for more modern planes such as the Lockheed Martin F-35 stealth fighters. These autonomous drones such as the F-16 will also conduct missions too dangerous for manned aircraft to carry out.

The program was validated after a two-week exercise at Edwards Air Force Base in California involving the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL); the U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School; Lockheed Martin and Calspan Corporation, an engineering, test, evaluation and research service company based in New York.

During the Have Raider II exercises, the autonomous F-16 planned and executed an air strike according to mission priorities. The F-16 drone determined the best way to fly to its target and execute a ground strike mission by itself. Along the way, it was interrupted by an air threat, responded to it and kept going towards its target.

"We've not only shown how an Unmanned Combat Air Vehicle can perform its mission when things go as planned, but also how it will react and adapt to unforeseen obstacles along the way," said Capt. Andrew Petry of the Air Force Research Laboratory.

These successful fully autonomous air-to-air and air-to-ground strike capabilities are a new capability developed by the air force and the legendary "Skunk Works," which is the official alias for Lockheed Martin's Advanced Development Programs (ADP).

Skunk Works was responsible for a number of famous aircraft designs, including the U-2, the Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird; the Lockheed F-117 Nighthawk; Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor and the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II.

Have Raider II is part of the air force's "Loyal Wingman" project to create autonomous aircraft paired with manned aircraft and can take on delegated tasks.

In the future, Loyal Wingman could see a single F-35 accompanied by one or more autonomous F-16s on a strike mission. As the formation approaches its target, the F-16s will attack advanced air defense systems.