On February 28, 2024, General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) successfully flew the XQ-67A Off-Board Sensing Station (OBSS) for the first time. The OBSS is a program by the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), and GA-ASI was chosen in 2021 to design, build and fly the aircraft.
This flight of the AFRL-funded XQ-67A marks a significant milestone as GA-ASI has validated the concept of “genus/species” that was first developed with AFRL as part of the Low-Cost Attritable Aircraft Platform Sharing (LCAAPS) program. The LCAAPS program focused on building several aircraft variants from a common core chassis.
Under the LCAAPS program, the AFRL and GA-ASI worked together to develop a foundational core architecture called a “genus”. This chassis serves as the basis for building several “species” of aircraft.
“This provides an alternative acquisition approach for military aircraft that enables faster development, lower costs and more opportunities for frequent technology refresh,” said Trenton White, OBSS Program Manager and aerospace engineer in AFRL’s Aerospace Systems Directorate. “XQ-67A is the first ‘species’ to be designed and built from this shared platform. Flight demonstration of this system is a major first step toward showing the ability to produce affordable combat mass.”
“OBSS is the first aircraft type built and flown using a common core chassis developed by GA-ASI that promotes commonality across multiple vehicle types,” said GA-ASI Vice President of Advanced Programs Michael Atwood.
