US Air Force Plans to Buy Drones Mimicking Stealth Jets: Advanced Training for Pilots on the Horizon

The U.S. Air Force is seeking advanced target drones capable of emulating various aircraft types, ranging from stealth fighters and large bombers to diverse drone models, both big and small.

The objective is to develop a versatile group of drones that can replicate the entire spectrum of air threats. This includes everything from low-cost recreational drones to the most sophisticated enemy fighters and large aircraft, as outlined in the Air Force’s Request for Information with a submission deadline of September 28.

Furthermore, the Air Force is looking for the next generation of target drones that are not only cost-effective and simple to produce but can also be considered disposable or attritable if necessary.

In pursuit of innovative solutions, the Pentagon is reaching out to the private sector for proposals that include commercial, modified commercial, dual-use, and non-developmental technologies, according to the RFI. The government is particularly keen on unconventional, commercially based, or dual-use options that provide benefits in terms of cost, scalability, and simplicity compared to traditional systems.

These new target drones are expected to display a broad range of capabilities.

For simulating fighter jets, the drones should be equipped with supersonic capabilities (capable of exceeding speeds of Mach 1.6 at altitudes of 40,000 feet), capable of performing high-agility/high-G combat moves, and should possess accurate low-observable Radar Cross-section (RCS) profiles, multi-spectral Infrared (IR) signatures, active RF emissions, and integrated Electronic Attack (EA) capabilities, as stated in the RFI.

When replicating C-130-sized multi-engine aircraft, the emphasis shifts from performance to accurately representing the physical scale, slow subsonic flight patterns, and propeller or turbofan propulsion characteristics typical of larger multi-engine planes. These models need to focus on matching the actual physical size, fundamental RF/IR emissions, and realistic radar feedback to test missile guidance systems and the effectiveness of warheads against large-scale targets.

For even larger aircraft such as strategic bombers and AWACS, the drones must replicate the significant physical size, multi-spectral thermal signatures, and extensive radar profiles that characterize strategic airborne threats.

In the case of large Group 5 unmanned aerial vehicles, the target drones need to achieve flight altitudes of up to 50,000 feet. For medium-sized Group 3 and 4 UAVs, the drones should fly at speeds between Mach 0.5 and 0.8 and perform maneuvers at 3 to 6 Gs. For the smaller Group 1 and 2 drones, the targets must fly at speeds under 150 knots and be capable of participating in drone-swarm tactics.

Target drones have been utilized for nearly a century, including the British Queen Bee, a modified Tiger Moth trainer used in the 1930s.

More recently, since 2007, the U.S. Air Force has been using the BQM-167A, a subsonic and subscale target drone. Measuring 20 feet in length with an 11-foot wingspan, it does not closely resemble the much larger 67-foot-long Chinese J-20 stealth fighter or the 108-foot-wide Chinese H6 bomber.

Additionally, the Air Force uses the QF-16, a modified F-16 that serves as a full-sized target, similar to a fourth-generation fighter. While these converted jets are a practical way to repurpose retired aircraft, they do not adequately simulate fifth-generation stealth fighters or larger aircraft, nor are they economically feasible to be used in large quantities.