BERLIN, — June 09, 2026 : Airbus Defence and Space has unveiled the U760 Ravenstorm, a new Uncrewed Collaborative Combat Aircraft (UCCA) designed to operate alongside crewed fighter aircraft during future combat missions. The aircraft was presented at the ILA Berlin 2026 air show as the flagship platform in Airbus’ expanding portfolio of autonomous defense systems.
The unveiling also marked the introduction of Airbus’ new naming convention for uncrewed systems. Under the new structure, all unmanned platforms will carry the “U” prefix, aligning with the company’s “A” designation for commercial aircraft and “H” designation for helicopters.
New Family of Uncrewed Systems
At ILA Berlin, Airbus presented a consolidated portfolio of defense and security drones designed with open architectures for integration into the wider European defense ecosystem.
The portfolio includes:
- U760 Ravenstorm – Heavy-combat loyal wingman aircraft.
- U740 Valkyrie – Europeanized variant of a stealth tactical drone.
- U145 – Autonomous version of the H145 helicopter.
- Additional systems including drone interceptors, tactical drones and the Eurodrone platform.
Airbus Defence and Space CEO Mike Schoellhorn said the company aims to provide a complete range of uncrewed capabilities to support sovereign air power requirements.
Designed for Crewed-Uncrewed Teaming
The U760 Ravenstorm is being developed as a loyal wingman aircraft capable of operating alongside crewed fighter jets such as the Eurofighter Typhoon. The platform is intended to act as a force multiplier, supporting pilots during high-threat and multi-domain missions.
While the human pilot retains command authority and final decision-making responsibility, the drone will use advanced mission systems and artificial intelligence to perform routine flight operations and process sensor data, allowing pilots to focus on tactical objectives.
Specifications and Capabilities
A full-scale model displayed at the air show revealed the aircraft’s key characteristics.
The U760 Ravenstorm measures 13 meters in length with a 10-meter wingspan. It has a maximum takeoff weight of approximately six tonnes and can carry a payload exceeding 500 kilograms.
The aircraft is designed to fly at high-subsonic speeds and features a top-mounted air intake, indicating the presence of internal weapon bays that help maintain a low radar signature while carrying weapons.
The drone is being developed for multiple mission types, including:
- Air-to-air combat
- Air-to-ground strike missions
- Electronic warfare operations
- Intelligence and reconnaissance support
Airbus states that the aircraft will be capable of autonomous and semi-autonomous operations while remaining integrated into future digital combat networks.
Planned Entry Into Service
The U760 Ravenstorm is expected to support future European air combat programs, including next-generation networked combat architectures that combine crewed and uncrewed aircraft.
Airbus is targeting operational readiness by 2032, with the aircraft expected to begin supporting fighter pilots across a range of missions in the early 2030s.
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