When a Quadcopter Becomes the JTAC: How the F-35 Just Took Targeting Orders from a Drone

JTACs aren't being replaced. They're getting an upgrade.

A US Army Joint Terminal Attack Controller prepares for a close-air support live-fire exercise at Satur Range in Erbil, Iraq, July 8, 2025. Coalition Forces train warfighting skills to maintain lethality and enable regional security and stability. (US Army photo by Master Sgt. Ray Boyington) Public domain

At the end of last month, a small American compan…