Airbus to Fly Uncrewed Combat Drones Alongside Eurofighter in 2026

Uncrewed collaborative combat aircraft (UCCA) are intended to serve as ‘loyal wingmen’ to crewed fighters.

Jack Daleo

Tuesday, March 17, 2026 at 02:15 PM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Travis Tingle

Airbus’ uncrewed collaborative combat aircraft (UCCA) platform is built around Kratos’ XQ-58A Valkyrie. [Credit: Airbus]

Key Takeaways:

Airbus aims to demonstrate uncrewed "loyal wingman" capabilities with crewed fighter jets by the end of 2026, planning the first flight of its system—combining Kratos' XQ-58A Valkyrie drone and Airbus' MARS software—alongside a Eurofighter Typhoon this year.
The company intends to deliver this uncrewed collaborative combat aircraft (UCCA) system to the German Air Force by 2029 as an affordable, sovereign European solution.
The UCCA is designed to undertake high-risk missions under the command of crewed fighters, serving as a key component of Europe's Future Combat Air System (FCAS).
This initiative mirrors similar "loyal wingman" or Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) programs being actively pursued by various branches of the U.S. military.

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Before the end of 2026, Airbus will look to demonstrate the ability of uncrewed combat aircraft to serve as “loyal wingmen” for crewed fighter jets.

The manufacturer on Friday said it plans to conduct the first flight of its uncrewed collaborative combat aircraft (UCCA) system—which combines Kratos’ experimental XQ-58A Valkyrie and its own mission software—alongside a Eurofighter Typhoon this year. It aims to deliver the UCCA system to the German Air Force by 2029.