The file photo shows the Royal Australian Air Force's (RAAF) Woomera Range Complex in Woomera in South Australia on Dec 4, 2020. (MORGAN SETTE / AFP)

SYDNEY - Boeing Co and the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) said on Tuesday they had completed the first flight test on a pilotless fighter-like jet designed to operate in conjunction with crewed aircraft.

The “Loyal Wingman”, the first military aircraft to be designed and manufactured in Australia in more than 50 years, flew under the supervision of a Boeing test pilot monitoring it from a ground control station in South Australia.

The Australian government has invested A$40 million (US$31 million) in development of the product, which Boeing last year said had also attracted interest from the United States and United Kingdom as potential future customers.

Australia has invested US$31 million in development of the jet, which Boeing said had also attracted interest from the US and the UK as potential customers

The Loyal Wingman is 11.6 metres long, has a 3,704 km range and a nose that can be removed to fit various payloads, including weapons. It can act as a shield to help protect more expensive manned fighter jets.

ALSO READ: Boeing settles 737 Max fraud charge with US$2.5b agreement

Defence contractors are investing increasingly in autonomous technology as militaries around the world look for cheaper and safer ways to maximise their resources.

“The Loyal Wingman project is a pathfinder for the integration of autonomous systems and artificial intelligence to create smart human-machine teams,” RAAF Air Vice-Marshal and Head of Air Force Capability Cath Roberts said in a statement.

During the test flight, the Loyal Wingman took off under its own power before flying a pre-determined route at different speeds and altitudes to verify its functionality and demonstrate the performance of the design.

The first Loyal Wingman is being used as a foundation for Boeing’s Airpower Teaming System, a service being developed for various global defence customers.

Boeing said additional Loyal Wingman aircraft are currently under development, with plans for teaming flights scheduled for later this year.

READ MORE: Australia lifts ban on Boeing 737 MAX, first in Asia-Pacific region

The plane maker has previously said up to 16 of the Loyal Wingman jets could be teamed with a crewed aircraft for missions.