UK to Deploy Uncrewed Combat Aircraft for Air Defence by the 2030s

The UK Ministry of Defence announced that Uncrewed Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCAs) will play a key role in the country’s integrated air and missile defence (IAMD) throughout the 2030s. The drones will augment the RAF’s core combat fleet of Typhoon and F‑35 fighters, supported by Voyager tankers and Wedgetail early‑warning aircraft.

The Defence Investment Plan adds £790 million for IAMD, prioritising sustainment of critical capabilities, improved command‑and‑control, and enhanced sensor functions. Of this, £300 million is earmarked for the CCA programme, which aims to produce a concept demonstrator by 2030 and accelerate operational capability thereafter. Adding uncrewed platforms is intended to increase the number of assets available to counter mass drone and cruise‑missile attacks such as those seen in Ukraine and the Middle East, extending the sensors and weapons capacity of crewed fighters.