RAF Targets Europe’s First Sixth-Generation Force With £300 Million Drone Wing

3 articles · Updated · Aviation Week · Jul 20

£300 million in the UK defense plan will launch the RAF’s Storm Fighter collaborative combat aircraft program, which Air Chief Marshal Harv Smyth says should make the service Europe’s first sixth-generation air force.
2027 is the target for a CCA demonstrator to fly alongside a Eurofighter Typhoon during NATO’s Steadfast Defender exercise, with initial operational capability planned by the end of the decade—about 10 years earlier than once envisaged.
Typhoon upgrades, more F-35s and a review of the F-35A/F-35B mix are meant to avoid a capability gap before the GCAP fighter arrives in the late 2030s, while CCAs could also reduce the number of carrier-based F-35Bs needed.
£31 billion has been earmarked for wider UK air and space programs, including delayed E-7 Wedgetail entry next summer, a push for boom-equipped tankers and six new space squadrons as the RAF shifts from space awareness to space control.

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Can the RAF's futuristic 'Storm Fighter' drones succeed while its advanced F-35 jets are plagued by maintenance failures?

Following the Defence Secretary's resignation, is Britain's sixth-generation air force dream already over before it begins?

Storm Fighter and the UK’s £298 Billion Push for Europe’s First Sixth-Generation, AI-Enabled Air Force

Overview

The Royal Air Force (RAF) is launching the ambitious Storm Fighter program to integrate advanced autonomous drones with manned aircraft, aiming to make the UK Europe’s first sixth-generation air force. This strategy is already attracting major defense contractors like BAE Systems and Boeing, who have shown strong interest even before formal requirements are set. A key part of this vision is the deployment of autonomous wingman drones, such as the Brontanax, expected to be operational by 2027. These developments mark a major step toward a future where human pilots and autonomous systems work together for superior air combat capability.

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