Wes Streeting has hailed new British-made ‘loyal wingmen’ drones, in what he called a “groundbreaking moment for UK defence”.
The new defence secretary welcomed the Brontanax, a new unmanned fighter jet created by UK defence company BAE Systems on Wednesday.
Designed and built in Lancashire, the so-called Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) is operated by a pilot from range, allowing crewed and uncrewed aircraft to operate as a team.
Often described as “loyal wingmen”, CCAs are designed to fly alongside piloted aircraft and are expected to cost roughly a third as much as a traditional fighter jet.
Speaking at the Farnborough air show on Wednesday, Mr Streeting said the drone will be in the skies in 2027.
“We will adopt this as our operational concept demonstrator, and we’re going to get it in the air in 2027,” he said. “This is a groundbreaking moment for UK defence, not just for air power, but for reindustrialisation.”
BAE Systems said the aircraft is now being prepared for ground-based testing at Warton prior to flight testing within UK airspace.
“The unveiling of Brontanax, the UK’s first uncrewed autonomous Collaborative Combat Aircraft, is a testament to the extraordinary talent and innovation across our sovereign defence industry,” Mr Streeting said. “Built at BAE Systems in Warton by British engineers, backed by British businesses large and small, this aircraft demonstrates that the UK has the skills, the technology and the determination to lead the world in combat air power.
“We’re investing £300m in our StormFighter programme to develop an autonomous combat aircraft here in the UK. This launch shows the depth of industrial capability we have here in Britain to help deliver our ambition to become Europe’s first sixth generation air force.”
He made the comments as BAE Systems announced the Ministry of Defence (MoD) has given it a contract extension worth £708m to continue developing a next generation combat aircraft as part of the Global Combat Air Programme.
Richard Berthon, the MoD’s director of future combat air, said: “This £708m investment demonstrates the UK’s continued commitment to maintaining a world-leading combat air capability and a freedom of action which ensures our armed forces remain equipped to meet future threats.”
The announcement follows the recently published defence investment plan (DIP), which included a £15bn boost to defence spending.
Business secretary Jonathan Reynolds is also visiting Farnborough Airshow on Wednesday to unveil a £600m package to back British aerospace.
Prime minister Andy Burnham released a video message describing the event – which is usually opened by the prime minister of the day – as “a big deal”.
Mr Burnham, who began his premiership on Monday – the opening day of this year’s show – said: “I know what a big deal this event is, truly I do, and I’m so sorry I can’t be with you.”
The prime minister said he will “reindustrialise this nation” to create the jobs and opportunities “people desperately want to see”.
He went on: “We can’t do that on our own. We will do it by working together with brilliant businesses like those at Farnborough this week.
“The civil aerospace and defence sectors combined will support half a million jobs across the country by 2030, and right now, two-thirds of those jobs are outside London and the southeast.
“I’ve seen those jobs for myself and the difference they make. It is a real success story, and so we want to go further.”
