February 17, 2026 at 11:46 PM
X-68A LongShot Air-To-Air Missile-Carrying Drone Moves Closer To F-15 Launch
LongShot drones are also seen as a new way for bombers and cargo planes to engage aerial threats and reduce vulnerability. The post X-68A LongShot Air-To-Air Missile-Carrying Drone Moves Closer To F-15 Launch appeared...
General Atomics’ air-launched LongShot drone has made new progress toward its first flight with the completion of various tests on the ground, including a demonstration of its weapons release capabilities. LongShot, now also designated the X-68A, is set to be carried aloft first by an F-15 fighter. The goal of the program has been to explore how an uncrewed aircraft capable of firing air-to-air missiles could extend the reach and reduce the vulnerability of the launch platform, among other benefits.
The U.S. military’s Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) released new details about the LongShot program, which it is leading, today. A “multitude of U.S.