Airbus presents unmanned Wingman concept

Airbus (Toulouse, France) recently revealed a new fighter-type drone concept, called Wingman, at Berlin’s ILA Airshow. Acting as an unmanned escort for fighter jets, the aircraft is “designed to operate in a similar way to an actual wingman,” taking on high-risk mission tasks that would pose a bigger threat to manned-only aircraft. It will be commanded by a pilot in a current combat aircraft such as the Eurofighter.

“The Wingman project is currently in the concept study phase, and the choice of materials is still being determined. Therefore, at this stage, details about the materials that will be used [for the aircraft] cannot be provided at this time,” an Airbus spokesperson tells CW. “The Wingman mock-up displayed at the ILA Airshow is a pure ‘show aircraft’ which does not reflect the future selection of product materials. The mock-up was made from an iron structure and composite outer skin.”

The 1:1 model exhibited showcased all of the foreseen capabilities required of this kind of aircraft, such as low observability, the integration of various armaments, advanced sensors, connectivity and teaming solutions. As with “show cars,” Airbus notes that not all of what is on display may find its way into series production. In this aspect, the model on display served as a foundation and catalyst to drive the design requirements for each generation of the Wingman.

Based on the current concept, the Wingman is intended to augment the capabilities of current manned combat aircraft with uncrewed platforms that can carry weapons and other effectors. 

“The German Air Force has expressed a clear need for an unmanned aircraft flying with and supporting missions of its manned fighter jets before the Future Combat Air System will be operational in 2040,” says Michael Schoellhorn, CEO of Airbus Defence and Space. “Our Wingman concept is the answer. We will further drive and fine-tune this innovation made in Germany so that ultimately we can offer the German Air Force an affordable solution with the performance it needs to maximize the effects and multiply the power of its fighter fleet for the 2030s.”

The Wingman’s tasks can range from reconnaissance to jamming targets and engaging targets on the ground or in the air with precision-guided munitions or missiles. Pilots in manned aircraft acting as “command fighters” will always have control of the mission. They are always the final decision-making authority, while benefiting from the protection and smaller risk exposure that the delegation of tactical taskings to unmanned systems offers. An additional focus is on increasing the overall combat mass in an affordable manner so that air forces can match the number of opposing forces in peers or near-peers in conflicts.