UK unveils Brontanax loyal‑wingman combat drone

The UK Ministry of Defence showcased the Brontanax, a jet‑powered uncrewed Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) designed to fly alongside the Royal Air Force’s Eurofighter Typhoon and future platforms such as Tempest and the F‑35. The prototype, roughly the size of a BAE Hawk trainer (about 12.5 m long with a 10 m wingspan), features low‑observable design elements, internal weapons bays and the ability to operate from austere airfields or carriers.

Built by BAE Systems at its Warton facility, the Brontanax was unveiled at the Farnborough International Airshow and will undergo ground testing at Warton before flight trials in UK airspace. Production models are expected to use a Rolls‑Royce Orpheus engine and cost about 25 % of a Typhoon unit, offering a cheaper way to increase combat mass. The drone may also participate in a NATO exercise as early as next year.