Archive · 18 Aug 2026
Air Force Seeks Stealth Target Drones Mimicking Enemy Jets
The US Air Force is the part of the military that flies planes.
They want to buy new pretend planes called target drones.
Target drones are remote-controlled planes used for practice.
These new drones will be able to act like many different kinds of aircraft.
Some will be small like the drones people fly for fun.
Others will act like big fighter jets and bombers, including the B-21 and F-35.
They will fly fast and turn like real enemy planes.
The Air Force will use them during weapons testing and military exercises.
This lets soldiers practice without risking real planes.
The goal is to make these practice targets cheap.
The US Air Force is seeking a new generation of target drones.
The drones would imitate aircraft ranging from small commercial drones to advanced stealth fighters and strategic bombers.
Aircraft to be mimicked include the B-21 bomber, F-35 fighter and enemy jets.
The drones aim to reproduce the signatures, speeds and manoeuvres of modern threats.
The push is for inexpensive aerial targets used in weapons testing and military exercises.
- Who
- The US Air Force
- What
- Seeking a new generation of inexpensive target drones that can mimic aircraft from small commercial drones to stealth fighters and strategic bombers, including the B-21 and F-35
- When
- Not specified in the articles
- Where
- United States
- Why
- To reproduce the signatures, speeds and manoeuvres of modern threats during weapons testing and military exercises
- Organization
- US Air Force
- Program
- New generation of target drones
- Aircraft to mimic
- B-21, F-35, enemy jets, small commercial drones, stealth fighters, strategic bombers
- Mimicry features
- Signatures, speeds and manoeuvres
- Purpose
- Weapons testing and military exercises
- Cost goal
- Inexpensive aerial targets