Companies compete to create autonomous fighter jets

In Short:
– Boeing showcased its Ghost Bat drone at Farnborough, competing in autonomous combat aircraft with U.S. rivals.
– The U.S. Air Force plans to select a primary provider for autonomous aircraft by summer 2027.

Boeing showcased its Ghost Bat drone at the Farnborough Airshow, entering a race for autonomous combat aircraft with U.S. competitors General Atomics and Anduril Industries.These companies presented their uncrewed aircraft, aimed to operate alongside manned jets, but Boeing revealed a working model.

Airbus is working on the U760 Ravenstorm, expected to enter service in the early 2030s, alongside its U740 Valkyrie model for upcoming tests.

New fighter jets

The autonomous aircraft segment, attracting various U.S. and European firms like Lockheed Martin and Airbus, is expected to reach a multibillion-dollar market.

According to the U.S. Air Force, upcoming aircraft could cost less than a third of an F-35, priced over $80 million.

Richard Aboulafia from AeroDynamic Advisory anticipates hundreds of units annually, though mainstream use may not occur until the mid-2030s.

“We’ve got the most mature collaborative combat aircraft,” Bernd Peters, Boeing’s vice president of development and strategy, told Reuters, adding that the company has been working on the program since 2017.

“It’s real hardware you see in front of you.”

Some rivals point to their speed of development.

“In two years, we have surpassed what a lot of other companies have been working on for many years,” Jason Levin, a senior vice president at Anduril, told Reuters.

“Rather than just making small incremental steps, we like to make large steps.”

Boeing’s Ghost Bat recently participated in a U.S.-led military exercise, marking a notable achievement for the company.

Boeing aims to produce seven unmanned aircraft under a A$754 million ($528 million) contract for the Australian Defence Force, having completed over 100 test flights.

General Atomics and Anduril received contracts from the U.S. Air Force to establish its first fleet of semi-autonomous aircraft.

Last week, Anduril’s prototype underwent a live-fire test, while its facility in Ohio can produce up to 150 aircraft annually.

General Atomics noted its long-standing experience in uncrewed aircraft development, highlighting the autonomy feature in this new class.

The U.S. Air Force plans to choose a primary provider for its programme by summer 2027, targeting over 150 combat-capable units by 2030.

U.S. firms are also collaborating with European manufacturers to cater to local military needs.