Airbus shows military Wingman drone at ILA
Airbus has developed a concept for a wingman drone for particularly dangerous military missions. It is to be commanded from fighter aircraft.
A rendering of the Wingman drone from Airbus. A scale model can be seen at the ILA in Berlin.
(Image: Airbus)
The aviation group Airbus has incorporated a military wingman concept into an unmanned drone. The Wingman drone is intended to support manned combat aircraft - probably also those of the German Air Force – on their missions. A scale model of the Wingman drone will be on display at the International Aerospace Exhibition (Internationale Luft- und Raumfahrtausstellung, ILA) in Berlin, where some of its functions will be demonstrated.
The concept of the Wingman drone from Airbus envisages the Wingman drone taking off together with a fighter aircraft and carrying out missions with it. The drone would be commanded by "a pilot" of the fighter aircraft, according to the Airbus press release. This is more likely to refer to the weapon system officer. This means that the armed Wingman drone can be sent on missions that are too dangerous for fighter aircraft with human crews, for example, according to Airbus. Airbus did not provide any information on the extent of the Airbus Wingman drone's autonomous capabilities. However, the aviation company emphasized that control of the Wingman drone will remain under human influence at all times – including the final authority to decide on the use of weapon systems.
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The model, which will be shown at the ILA 2024, which takes place from June 5 to 9 in Berlin, is designed on a 1:1 scale, but still largely resembles a "show car" at automobile exhibitions, writes Airbus. However, the Wingman model already demonstrates all the envisaged capabilities, such as stealth functions, the ability to carry different weapon systems, the use of advanced sensor technology as well as connectivity and teaming systems to be able to work together. However, all these functions do not have to be incorporated into the final Wingman drone. The model is more of a design basis on which individual generations of the drone will gradually be built.
Wingman drone for the air force
"The German Air Force has expressed a clear need for an unmanned aircraft to fly with its manned combat aircraft and support its missions before the Future Combat Air System becomes operational in 2040," says Michael Schoellhorn, CEO of Airbus Defense and Space. "Our Wingman concept is the answer to this. We will continue to drive and refine this innovation made in Germany so that we can offer the German Air Force an affordable solution with the required performance to increase the impact and capability of its fighter fleet in the 2030s."
The use of unmanned Wingman drones has yet another advantage: the mass of combat power can be increased at any time and at relatively low cost, independently of trained pilots.
(olb)
