Boeing has successfully tested the QF-16 against live fire for the first time. The QF-16 is a a modified version of the F-16 Fighting Falcon designed to be controlled remotely by a human pilot so companies can test new weapons systems against it. It’s pretty awesome to see it dodging the bullet in the skies.
According to Boeing, while the missile didn’t hit its target, that doesn’t mean it was a miss. Because they don’t want to destroy their multi-million dollar toys every time they test a missile, the rocket is rigged so it never hits the target. However, both the missile and the airplane have sensors that tell the researchers if the weapons test was a success or a failure.
Here’s more background information on the QF-16:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FSMthlo3O34
