Airbus Wingman

Airbus Wingman is a loyal wingman unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV) concept developed by Airbus Defence and Space for the German Luftwaffe. The concept was publicly unveiled in 2024 with a full-scale model displayed at the ILA Berlin Air Show. The Wingman is designed to operate alongside manned fighter aircraft—initially Eurofighter Typhoon and later the FCAS New Generation Fighter—as an autonomous or semi-autonomous wingman that extends the manned fighter's capabilities.

The Wingman concept envisions a stealthy, multi-role UCAV that can perform several key missions:

• Sensor extension: Carrying additional radar, electronic intelligence (ELINT), and electro-optical sensors to extend the manned fighter's situational awareness.
• Weapons carrier: Carrying air-to-air and air-to-ground weapons in internal bays, increasing the overall firepower of the manned-unmanned team.
• Electronic warfare: Conducting electronic attack and electronic support measures to suppress enemy air defenses.
• Decoy and risk reduction: Absorbing risks by flying ahead of the manned fighter, drawing enemy fire, and exposing enemy air defense positions.
• Communication relay: Serving as a communication node between manned fighters, other Wingmen, and ground/air command centers.

The Airbus Wingman is closely related to the FCAS Remote Carrier concept. FCAS (Future Combat Air System) envisions a system of systems including the New Generation Fighter (manned) and multiple Remote Carriers (unmanned). The Wingman can be seen as a larger, more capable variant of the Remote Carrier concept, potentially serving as a technology demonstrator and precursor to the FCAS Remote Carriers.

Key technical aspects of the Wingman concept include:

• Stealthy flying-wing or tailless configuration for low observability
• Internal weapons bay for maintaining stealth characteristics
• AI-driven autonomous and collaborative operation
• Secure data links for manned-unmanned teaming
• Air-to-air and air-to-ground weapons capability

The Wingman concept reflects the global trend toward collaborative combat aircraft (CCA) and loyal wingman programs. Similar programs include the US Air Force CCA program (Anduril Fury, Boeing MQ-28 Ghost Bat), the UK/Italy/Japan GCAP autonomous elements, and various Chinese UCAV programs. The German Luftwaffe has expressed strong interest in acquiring Wingman-type capabilities to complement its Eurofighter fleet and bridge the capability gap until FCAS enters service.

Airbus has positioned the Wingman as a European sovereign capability, emphasizing that it will be designed and built in Europe without dependence on US technology. This aligns with the broader European defense autonomy agenda and the FCAS program's goal of maintaining European combat aircraft industrial capability.