BAE Systems unveils Brontanax, UK's first autonomous fighter drone

Published Jul 22, 09:24 AM UTC

BAE Systems has unveiled Brontanax, the UK's first uncrewed autonomous Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA), at the Farnborough International Airshow. Designed and built at BAE's Warton site in Lancashire, the prototype is intended to operate alongside crewed aircraft like the Typhoon, providing electronic warfare and precision strike capabilities at lower cost. The aircraft is similar in size to a Hawk and features an open, modular architecture. The UK government has committed £300 million to the StormFighter programme, aiming to make the RAF Europe's first sixth-generation air force. Brontanax, named from ancient Greek words for thunder and king, will undergo ground testing at Warton before its first flight, expected next year. The project involves over 500 BAE employees and more than 75 UK aerospace companies, highlighting sovereign industrial capability.