As Europe rearms, ‘wingman’ aircraft take centre stage

BERLIN, June 16 (Reuters) – Centre stage at last week’s Berlin airshow was the “wingman” ‌drone, Europe’s latest-generation defence weapon designed to accompany fighter jets.

As the war in Ukraine in particular has underscored the growing importance of drones and electronic warfare, European and U.S. defence forces are rapidly developing their own AI-powered drones to complement their fighter jets and carry ​extra sensors, jammers and weapons.

In Berlin, four companies – Airbus (AIR.PA), opens new tab, Boeing (BA.N), opens new tab, Helsing and General Atomics – were looking to ​tout their latest designs of the technology to Germany’s military and beyond.

Wingman drones, sometimes referred ⁠to as wingman aircraft, are known as collaborative combat aircraft (CCA) and range in size from small interceptors to being ​as big as planes. They fly in what is known as a “loyal wingman” system as they flank manned aircraft.

Investment in ​the technology comes as Europe faces a debate over the value of building its own sovereign defence industry and reducing reliance on the United States.

“The AI agent, of course, the brain of these systems, needs to be controlled in a sovereign fashion,” Stephanie Lingemann, head ​of air domain at German defence startup Helsing, told Reuters at the airshow.

Germany and France this month shelved plans ​for a joint fighter jet but are now looking to salvage parts of the Future Combat Air System programme by developing a related ‌drone system ⁠and data network.

The war in Ukraine has shown how disrupting sensors and communications can be as critical as kinetic attacks.

Helsing says its electronic attack drone is designed to operate alongside strike drones in autonomous swarms.

Boeing Australia’s Managing Director Amy List insisted its MQ-28 Ghost Bat wingman was not a drone, but an unmanned jet designed “to enhance the ​capabilities, be a force multiplier ​for crewed platforms.”

The company ⁠is collaborating with German firm Rheinmetall (RHMG.DE), opens new tab to build what it says is its tried and tested technology.

“It can go out ahead of crewed platforms, provide situational awareness, analyse data, it ​can fuse that data and provide decision-making quality information back to a human,” List told ​Reuters.

As it stands, ⁠wingman drones or aircraft have not yet arrived on the battlefield. Boeing says its model can be in service for the German Luftwaffe by 2029, while Airbus’ model, the U760b Ravenstorm, won’t be available until the 2030s, the company says.

General Atomics’ ⁠YFQ-42A is ​in testing and was selected in 2024 by the U.S. Air ​Force among other technologies to receive funding and other support for prototype development.

Lockheed Martin (LMT.N), opens new tab and U.S. defence technology startup Anduril are expected to display similar ​technologies at upcoming airshows, including Britain’s Farnborough airshow starting on July 20.