Everything you need to know about uncrewed collaborative combat aircraft

By the end of this decade, uncrewed collaborative combat aircraft (UCCA) will support crewed fighter jets on their missions. Wondering what an UCCA is? We answer the most commonly asked questions.

Imagine you are the pilot of a Eurofighter, tasked with taking out an air defence position in a heavily protected zone. Thanks to seamless connectivity, you are not tackling this mission alone – far from it. All the information you need is consolidated in your cockpit. You are in close communication with ground stations and other fighter jets and you also have the ultimate mission support at your side: an uncrewed collaborative combat aircraft (UCCA). From your cockpit, you order the UCCA to take out the enemy air defence. It penetrates deep into enemy territory and destroys the air defence position with a guided missile.

While all of this may sound like science fiction, Airbus is already making it a reality, intending to put the UCCA capability into operation with the German Air Force by 2029. What characterises uncrewed collaborative combat aircraft ? Here, we address the most important questions about this concept.

Kratos-Valkyrie

What is an uncrewed collaborative combat aircraft?

An uncrewed collaborative combat aircraft — also known as a 'collaborative combat aircraft' (CCA) or 'loyal wingman' — is an autonomous, armed aerial platform designed to operate alongside fighter jets. It can fly in formation, engage threats, and react to changing battlefield conditions without the need for a ground operator to manage its every move. The main idea behind the UCCA is to increase 'combat mass' during operations and extend the reach of crewed aircraft, such as the Eurofighter.
 

How does an UCCA collaborate with a crewed platform?

This is where the concept of crewed-uncrewed teaming comes in: In essence, crewed combat aircraft such as the Eurofighter act as the command centre, while the UCCA is the operator's 'extended arm'. The pilot provides high-level mission objectives, which the UCCA then executes at the desired level of autonomy. They can take on specialised roles: for instance, one UCCA might engage an enemy target while others jam enemy radar or scan the battlefield and relay real-time data back to the pilot.

All of this is made possible by a sophisticated mission system — the 'brain' behind the mission. These systems allow humans and machines to work together seamlessly as a team. The UCCA takes on the cognitive burden of processing data and carrying out routine manoeuvres, allowing the human pilot to focus on high-level tactical decisions.

Why are uncrewed collaborative combat aircraft critical in modern defence?

In modern warfare, the side that can process information and act fastest has the advantage. It's not just about the first 24 hours of a conflict; it's also about endurance.

Against this backdrop, uncrewed collaborative combat aircraft act as force multipliers. They can be produced in greater numbers and at a lower cost than manned jets, providing the necessary scale to counter threats and ensure air superiority without overstretching existing resources.

At the same time, they provide significant support for pilots. On the one hand, pilots can reduce their workload by delegating tasks to these autonomous systems. On the other hand, they are an important layer of protection. By taking on high-risk tasks, they ensure that human pilots remain out of the immediate line of fire.

What is the difference between an uncrewed aerial system (UAS) and an UCCA?

The term 'uncrewed aerial system' covers a broad category, of which uncrewed collaborative combat aircraft are a specialised subset. In other words, every UCCA is a UAS, but not every UAS is a UCCA.

Uncrewed aerial systems come in various shapes and sizes and can be specialised for a variety of missions, including intelligence, reconnaissance and surveillance (ISR), maritime surveillance or cargo transport. As the name suggests, uncrewed collaborative combat aircraft are designed for use in contested airspace, operating in areas where conventional drones would likely be shot down.

While many other UAS require a human operator to manage every manoeuvre, an UCCA is highly autonomous. Rather than being 'flown' by a person, it is 'tasked'. This means that when a pilot at a command and control station or in a command aircraft, like the Eurofighter, orders an UCCA to 'scan a sector', the aircraft does not wait for steering commands. Instead, it independently calculates the optimal flight path and manages its sensors, relaying critical data back to the cockpit. The UCCA can even execute its mission in GNSS-denied environments, where it is impossible to determine its position via satellite signals due to jamming or geographical conditions. All operations are always carried out in accordance with the level of autonomy granted to the UCCA for operation without human intervention. 

How is Airbus advancing this capability?

Airbus is adopting an agile and sovereign approach to providing these capabilities to the German Air Force and its European partners by 2029. To ensure their timely availability at minimal risk, Airbus has partnered with Kratos Defense & Security Solutions to utilise the XQ-58A Valkyrie – a proven and cost-effective platform – as the basis for an UCCA operated under sovereign control thanks to significant customisation.

The technological cornerstone of this sovereignty is Airbus' MARS (Multiplatform Autonomous Reconfigurable Secure) mission system. By integrating this open-architecture into the Valkyrie, Airbus enables the German Air Force to begin operational testing, training, and concept development immediately. 

At the moment, Airbus is working on the integration of the MARS mission system on the Valkyrie while preparing the first two acquired aircraft for their maiden flights, scheduled to take place later in 2025. While the MARS core continues to receive incremental enhancements, a critical second step will involve connecting the Valkyrie to the Eurofighter, creating the first operational European crewed-uncrewed team. In parallel, Airbus is developing a European UCCA in a higher weight class. This platform is designed to offer a wider capability spectrum to address even more sophisticated operational requirements of the armed forces in Europe and beyond.

Airbus' phased approach will enable rapid and flexible development and integration into current and future combat fleets, with the first capability targeted for 2029. This will ensure that Europe remains at the cutting edge of autonomous air combat technology.

Moving towards software-defined defence

The MARS mission system developed by Airbus is an example of a software-defined defence approach. It enables rapid updates to military technology and enhances interoperability, and facilitates AI-driven, multi-domain operations. All of this ensures that the mission logic, data processing and autonomy functions of a platform can be updated as quickly as the adversary evolves.
 
 Read more about Airbus’ collaborative combat solutions