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. The company intends to put the UCCA capability into operation with the German Air Force by 2029 with the U740 Valkyrie and to deliver the U760 Ravenstorm in the early 2030s.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.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. 

The U760 Ravenstorm is set to support fighter pilots on their missions from the early 2030s onwards.

How is Airbus advancing this capability?

Airbus aims to provide the German Air Force and its European partners with sovereign UCCA capabilities from the end of this decade onwards. Therefore, the company is adopting a phased approach that ensures the seamless integration into current and future combat fleets.

The first step will be the introduction of the U740 Valkyrie, which is based on the XQ-58 Valkyrie by the US company Kratos Defense & Security Solutions. By equipping the Valkyrie with the Multiplatform Autonomous Reconfigurable and Secure (MARS) Mission System, Airbus aims to deliver an operational and sovereign UCCA to the German Air Force by 2029. This foundational step will pave the way for operational experimentation, the introduction of initial air-to-ground capabilities, and the teaming of the Valkyrie with the Eurofighter.

Currently, Airbus is working on the integration of MARS on the Valkyrie while preparing the first two acquired aircraft for their maiden flights, scheduled to take place later in 2026. 

Unveiled at the 2026 ILA International Air Show, the U760 Ravenstorm is the next step in Airbus' broader UCCA roadmap, moving towards a scalable family of uncrewed collaborative combat aircraft. With a wingspan of 10 metres and a length of 13 metres, the Ravenstorm is optimised for multi-domain missions. These include air-to-surface strikes with precision-guided munitions, air-to-air defence using long- and medium-range anti-aircraft missiles, and electronic warfare to suppress enemy air defences and conduct offensive counter-air operations using non-kinetic jamming. The Ravenstorm is expected to be available in the early 2030s.

Like the Valkyrie, the Ravenstorm will be powered by Airbus' MARS Mission System, which is based on software-defined defence principles. Thanks to its modular and open architecture, the system's software can be upgraded and expanded continuously. This makes it highly adaptable to changing mission demands, ensuring the platform's long-term relevance.

Learn more about Airbus’ collaborative combat solutions