Abstract: Cooperative flight strategy for manned and unmanned swarm systems is proposed based on distributed time-varying formation tracking control. In this strategy, high-value manned combat units such as early warning aircraft and fifth generation fighter are treated as the leaders, and multiple low-cost UAVs are regarded as the followers. Low-cost UAVs can be deployed by high-value manned combat units at the right time for accompanying flight. The core of the strategy is that the low-cost UAVs are always on the line of sight axis between the high-value manned combat units and enemies. Under the risk of being shot down, the UAVs acting as loyal wing plane of manned combat units can interfere and deceive the enemies. Based on finite-time control theory, observer theory and adaptive control theory, the distributed control protocol with the existence of unknown disturbances of UAVs and unknown maneuver of manned combat units are given. Then the validity of the protocol is proven by Lyapunov theory and the theoretical results are verified by simulation experiments.