BAE Systems unveiled a full-scale mock-up of its newly announced Brontanax autonomous strike plane at this year's Farnborough International Air Show. It is billed as Britain's first home-designed uncrewed autonomous Collaborative Combat Aircraft.
Despite recent embarrassing setbacks like taking a week to deploy a destroyer to protect Cyprus only to have it break down, and having the entire submarine fleet in dock because of a technical problem, the British government is still committed to some very ambitious defense goals over the next couple of decades.
One aspect of this is the Storm Fighter program, which aims at not only making Britain one of the nations building and fielding 6th Generation fighters, but a variety of other supporting platforms, including Brontanax, which is a medium-scale autonomous wingman designed to operate directly alongside crewed aircraft like the Eurofighter Typhoon and the Tempest.
With its modular design, the Brontanax can be quickly configured as a missile platform, sensor extension, electronic warfare aircraft, and precision ground attack for air-to-air and air-to-ground missions. It can carry out these tasks autonomously or under the direction of a common fighter plane or ground command.
Aside from saying that it's about the size of a Hawk trainer aircraft, BAE systems has released very few particulars about Brontanax and its performance.
"The RAF is determined to become Europe’s first 6th Generation Air Force, driving innovation and accelerating the adoption of cutting-edge technology to stay ahead in an increasingly complex and contested battlespace," said Sir Harv Smyth, Chief Of The Air Staff Air Marshal. "Working alongside BAE Systems, we are taking a major step towards that ambition, with a prototype expected to fly next year. Backed by £300 million through the Defence Investment Plan, our Storm Fighter program is transforming future capability, while the launch of Brontanax, the UK’s first autonomous uncrewed Collaborative Combat Aircraft, shows how sovereign defense industry is delivering at pace to support us in being Agile, integrated and ready to fly fight and win."
Brontanax is currently undergoing ground testing and is expected to begin flight tests in 2027, with deployment aimed at about 2030.
Source: BAE Systems
