UK StormFighter program unveils MGI T-022 Vortex combat drone
British defence firm MGI Engineering announced its T-022 Vortex autonomous collaborative platform as a bid for the United Kingdom’s StormFighter programme. The 11‑metre, 7.6‑metre‑wing‑span aircraft has a maximum take‑off weight of about 3,500 kg, can reach speeds above Mach 0.85 (≈1,050 km/h) and claims a range exceeding 4,000 km. It is designed to carry a 1,000 kg payload – 400 kg internally and 600 kg on four external hardpoints – and to operate as a “loyal wing” alongside crewed fighters such as the Eurofighter Typhoon and the F‑35 Lightning II. MGI lists a unit price of US$4‑8 million (£3‑6 million) and says the platform can function in contested, communications‑denied environments, but no Ministry of Defence contract, prototype, or first‑flight date has been confirmed.
The Royal Air Force is preparing to test the StormFighter concept with Typhoon jets, with trials announced for July 2026. The integration aims to extend the combat reach of existing aircraft while reducing pilot exposure by employing autonomous wing‑men for strike, surveillance, electronic warfare and suppression of enemy air defences. The testing will involve specialised aerospace infrastructure, telemetry ranges and ground‑control stations, signalling a shift in RAF operational strategy toward networked unmanned‑crewed systems.
Entities: Eurofighter Typhoon · F-35 Lightning II · MGI Engineering · Royal Air Force · T-022 Vortex
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.
- [● 2 SOURCES] The Vortex’s top speed exceeds Mach 0.85 (≈1,050 km/h) and it claims a range beyond 4,000 km. (MGI Engineering)
- [● 2 SOURCES] The T-022 Vortex measures 11 metres in length, 7.6 metres wingspan and has a maximum take‑off weight of about 3,500 kg. (MGI Engineering)
- [● 2 SOURCES] MGI Engineering presented the T-022 Vortex autonomous collaborative platform on 24 July 2026 as a bid for the UK StormFighter programme. (MGI Engineering)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Unit price is estimated at US$4‑8 million (£3‑6 million) depending on configuration. (MGI Engineering)
- [● 2 SOURCES] The platform is designed to operate alongside Eurofighter Typhoon and F‑35 Lightning II aircraft as a loyal wing. (MGI Engineering)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] The UK plans to test the StormFighter collaborative combat drone with Eurofighter Typhoon jets, with trials announced for July 2026. (World Today News)
- [● 2 SOURCES] No UK Ministry of Defence contract, prototype, or first‑flight date has been announced for the Vortex. (MGI Engineering)
- [● 2 SOURCES] The drone can carry up to 1,000 kg of payload, with 400 kg internal and 600 kg on four external hardpoints. (MGI Engineering)