US Air Force eyes Black Widow drone to help F-35 fighters spot targets in war zones

The U.S. Air Force has released a Sources Sought notice for a small drone that soldiers can launch to stream live video and targeting data straight to an F-35 fighter jet. This approach would speed up the kill chain by letting frontline troops send information directly to advanced strike aircraft in real time. The notice, published April 20 by the Air Force Installation and Mission Support Center under Air Force Materiel Command, designates the TEAL Drones Black Widow and carries a response deadline of April 27, 2026. The document outlines a highly specific technical and regulatory profile that the system must already meet, leaving little room for alternatives. What the Air Force wants The main focus is on Manned-Unmanned Teaming (MUM-T), applied here in a very direct way. The drone needs to work near a target and send live video and targeting data straight to an F-35 in flight for weapon delivery. This is a big change from the usual use of small tactical drones, which typically send data only to ground operators. Now, the data goes directly to the cockpit of a top fighter jet, connecting a soldier on the ground with airborne precision strikes in one continuous chain. The notice requires the Hadron 640R+ sensor payload, which is a dual EO/IR imaging system from Teledyne FLIR. It combines a 64-megapixel visible camera with a Boson+ 640 thermal core, enabling effective surveillance and targeting in both daylight and low-light conditions. The drone must also work natively with the Android Tactical Assault Kit (ATAK), the military’s standard mobile situational awareness tool used by U.S. and allied forces. Other technical requirements match the Black Widow’s known features: a rugged, portable airframe weighing about 3.6 pounds, flight time of over 35 minutes, and a support model without ongoing software, support, or warranty fees. Why the Black Widow Cat Holdings has positioned the Black Widow as a U.S.-made alternative to foreign small drone platforms, especially as t…