Airbus, MBDA team for remote carriers
Airbus and MBDA have teamed up to develop demonstrators for remote carriers as part of the Future Combat Air System programme.
Remote carriers are UAS which will be designed to reduce the risks for manned aircraft in high risk environments by taking over specific air operation roles, providing new air warfare capabilities.
MBDA will focus on the development of small and medium class platforms, while Airbus will address the whole remote carrier scope - and in particular teaming intelligence – with a focus on medium to large platforms.
Capable of cross platform mission management, the remote carriers will complement and augment manned fighter aircraft capabilities. They will operate with a high degree of automation to improve mission performance in high intensity conflicts, and increase combat mass to better compensate limited numbers of sophisticated manned fighter aircraft.
Several types of remote carriers are being studied, including expendable swarms possibly followed by more sophisticated groups, providing a wide scope of potential missions.
More from Uncrewed Vehicles
-
![AUSA 2024: Quantum-Systems targets big 2025 with UAS developments]()
AUSA 2024: Quantum-Systems targets big 2025 with UAS developments
Quantum-Systems has been upgrading its UAS family, with new versions of the Vector, Reliant and Twister drones set for release throughout 2025.
-
![US Army accelerates acquisition and field of company-level sUAS]()
US Army accelerates acquisition and field of company-level sUAS
The service has been using a Directed Requirement (DR) approach to speed up the deployment of a Medium Range Reconnaissance capability.
-
![AeroVironment to display eVTOL P550 at AUSA 2024]()
AeroVironment to display eVTOL P550 at AUSA 2024
AeroVironment’s portfolio will grow thanks to the eVTOL P550 aimed at battalion-level tactical forces.
-
![Australia’s air force aims its UAV fleet northwards]()
Australia’s air force aims its UAV fleet northwards
The Royal Australian Air Force is advancing its unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) capabilities across three key programmes as it works with the likes of Boeing and Northrop Grumman to reshape Australia’s defence strategy.
-
![FTUAS competitor trials were “very successful”, says US Army official]()
FTUAS competitor trials were “very successful”, says US Army official
Prototypes from Griffon Aerospace and Textron Systems recently passed through MOSA conformance trials and flight tests.
-
![Pentagon adds Replicator 2 to budget request with focus on C-sUAS capabilities]()
Pentagon adds Replicator 2 to budget request with focus on C-sUAS capabilities
Funds for the second phase of this effort will be allocated in the US Department of Defense (DoD) FY2026 budget request.
