UK unveils drone “wingman” program to accompany RAF fighter jets in combat

The United Kingdom has officially named its Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) programme Storm Fighter, unveiling plans for a new family of autonomous drones designed to operate alongside Royal Air Force (RAF) fighter jets and strengthen the country's next-generation air combat capabilities.

The new designation was announced on 16 July by Defence Minister for Armed Forces Readiness and Industry Luke Pollard during the Global Air and Space Chiefs' Conference, as reported by the Breaking Defense outlet.

Pollard said the autonomous drone wingmen would serve both as a "guardian angel" and an "attack dog" for Britain's tactical aircraft, supporting crewed fighters across a range of combat missions.

Combined with the UK's planned sixth-generation fighter aircraft, Storm Fighter will "make the RAF Europe's first six-generation air force," Pollard said. He added that the programme would "lay the ground for exports, growth, partnership with friendly nations, more defence jobs, and a more resilient defence industrial base."

Expanding the Storm family

Air forces around the world are investing in Collaborative Combat Aircraft to provide what defence officials describe as "affordable mass"—autonomous systems capable of supporting manned aircraft at a fraction of the cost of additional fighters.

The drones are expected to perform a variety of missions, including carrying additional weapons, conducting electronic warfare and reconnaissance, and drawing enemy fire away from crewed aircraft.

Speaking later at the conference, RAF Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Sir Rich Knighton—Note: original source names Air Chief Marshal Harv Smyth; verify official title if publishing—outlined plans for at least two new unmanned platforms under the Storm family.

One, designated Storm Chrome, will be developed for electronic attack missions. The second, Storm Fire, is a one-way attack drone designed to strike targets at ranges of up to 1,000 miles.

The new systems build on StormShroud, an autonomous electronic warfare drone that entered RAF service last year. According to the RAF, StormShroud is designed to protect pilots by jamming enemy radar systems.

"Our new Storm Fighter CCA program will markedly shift the economic calculus back in our favor, absorbing risk and enabling our crewed platforms to more readily survive," Smyth said.

Faster timeline sought

The UK has committed £300 million (approx. $405 million) to launch the Storm Fighter programme. Under the government's four-year, £298 billion Defence Investment Plan, published on 30 June, a technology demonstrator is expected to fly by 2030.

However, Smyth has indicated he hopes to accelerate the schedule. In a recent interview with another media outlet, he said he wants a demonstrator flying alongside a Eurofighter Typhoon as early as next year.

The Storm Fighter announcement comes as the UK seeks to expand investment in defence following months of political debate over military spending.

The Defence Investment Plan sparked controversy over previous funding levels, contributing to political turmoil that saw the resignation of former Defence Secretary John Healey and ultimately the departure of Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

Addressing the issue, Pollard said the government had secured an additional £15 billion (approximately $20 billion) in defence spending to strengthen the UK's armed forces and defence industrial base.

By Nazrin Sadigova