Airbus to present wingman concept at ILA Berlin

Airbus will present its new wingman concept at the International Aerospace Exhibition (ILA) in Berlin, Germany. In military aviation, a wingman is a pilot in another aircraft that protects and supports the flight lead, delivers more tactical options, and contributes to mission success. In the Airbus concept, the wingman will operate similarly, only without a pilot on board the fighter-type drone. It will be commanded by a pilot in a current combat aircraft such as the Eurofighter and can take on high-risk mission tasks that would pose a bigger threat to manned-only aircraft.

The 1:1 model, which Airbus will be exhibiting from June 5 to 9 on its static display at ILA, is like a concept car used as a design exercise by the automotive industry. The wingman model showcases all the foreseen capabilities required, such as low observability, integration of various armaments, advanced sensors, connectivity, and teaming solutions. As with concept cars, not all of what is on display may find its way into series production. In this aspect, the model on display at ILA Berlin will serve as a foundation and catalyst to drive the design requirements for each generation of wingman.

Based on the current concept, the Airbus 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,” said 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 delegating tactical taskings to unmanned systems offers. An additional focus is on increasing the overall combat mass affordably so air forces can match the number of opposing forces in peers or near-peers in conflicts.