BAE Systems unveiled the UK’s first uncrewed autonomous Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) at the Farnborough International Airshow on July 22, 2026, in the presence of the UK’s new defense secretary, Wes Streeting.
The aircraft, which has been named Brontanax after the Greek words for both thunder and king, is expected to become operational before the end of this decade.
Like other collaborative combat platforms, Brontanax has been designed to operate alongside other crewed aircraft, acting as a force multiplier by providing electronic warfare capabilities and conducting precision strikes against airborne and ground targets.
When making the announcement, BAE Systems revealed that Brontanax is the work of its in-house FalconWorks team and that so far more than 500 of its staff have been involved in the project. Development of Brontanax was conducted at the firm’s research and development establishment in Warton, Lancashire, and has been self-funded by the defense firm, which has invested more than £400 million (US$ 530 million approximately) in the program.
Brontanax is roughly the size of the Hawk advanced jet trainer aircraft currently in service with the Royal Air Force (RAF). When in use, it will be controlled either by a close-by Eurofighter Typhoon pilot or remotely from the ground.
BAE Systems also highlighted that the new collaborative combat aircraft has been created with an open architecture and modular design so that it can be kept up to date with the fast-evolving military technology environment, including the UK’s future sixth-generation fighter.
The public unveiling of Brontanax comes just days after the UK’s government reaffirmed its commitment to the collaborative combat aircraft concept. In this regard, the latest Defence Investment Plan allocates £300 million (US$ 400 million) to the development of so-called “loyal wingman” platforms under the umbrella of the Storm Fighter program.