UK designates CCA drone wingman program as 'Storm Fighter' to fly with Typhoon, F-35, and Tempest

Published Jul 17, 03:26 PM UTC

The UK has officially designated its Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) drone wingman program as 'Storm Fighter,' announced by Minister Luke Pollard at the Global Air and Space Chiefs Conference on July 16, 2026. The drones will serve as both 'guardian angel' and 'attack dog' for crewed fighters like the Typhoon, F-35, and future Tempest, aiming to make the Royal Air Force Europe's first sixth-generation air force. The program is part of a broader $6.6 billion drone initiative under the UK's Defense Investment Plan, which increases defense spending to 3% of GDP. Additionally, Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Harv Smyth unveiled two supporting designs: Storm Chrome (electronic warfare jamming) and Storm Fire (one-way attack drone with 1,000-mile range). These build on the operational Storm Shroud autonomous EW drone already in RAF service. The UK aims for operational CCA capability before the end of the decade.