Oshkosh Defense partners with Grid Aero to mass-produce the Lifter autonomous cargo/ISR aircraft; hundreds to thousands targeted for the early 2030s, no government contract yet

Oshkosh Defense, maker of the JLTV, announced on 2 November a partnership with California startup Grid Aero to scale production of Lifter, an autonomous aircraft meant to carry a few thousand pounds over a few thousand miles for cargo and ISR. After design-for-manufacturability, production planning and supply-chain work, a pilot line at Oshkosh is planned in about a year, with hundreds to thousands of aircraft targeted for the early 2030s. Prototype testing continues for 6–12 months and the airframe is to be redesigned; no government funding or contract has been announced.