Airbus and BAE unveil new unmanned combat aircraft at Farnborough

At the Farnborough air show, Airbus Defence and Space presented progress on several unmanned programmes. Vice‑president Jean‑Brice Dumont detailed in‑flight refuelling trials for UAVs using a rigid probe, and outlined the Uncrewed Collaborative Combat Aircraft (UCCA) family, including the Valkyrie demonstrator based on the U‑740 platform. Valkyrie, designed for the German Luftwaffe, offers a 5,400 km range, autonomous mission‑planning via the MARS system and a first delivery slated for 2029. The programme also includes the Ravenstorm U‑760 design.

In parallel, BAE Systems revealed the Brontanax UAV, a project started four years ago in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Built with private funding, the prototype is ready for rapid production and aims to support the Royal Air Force. Brontanax is intended for electronic‑warfare and precision strike roles, can operate alongside Eurofighter Typhoons (and potentially on Queen Elizabeth‑class carriers with F‑35s), and may fly in the Steadfast Defender exercise as early as this year, with full entry into service by 2027.