Airbus Positions U760 Ravenstorm in Global Collaborative Combat Aircraft Race.

Airbus presents its U760 Ravenstorm collaborative combat aircraft as a full-scale mock-up at Farnborough 2026. The display highlights Europe’s entry into the CCA race, but also underscores a gap with U.S. systems already in flight testing.

The Ravenstorm appears alongside a growing field of uncrewed combat aircraft at the British airshow, including Boeing’s MQ-28 Ghost Bat and designs from General Atomics and Anduril. While Boeing’s aircraft has progressed into flight trials and operational experimentation, Airbus is targeting an early 2030s service entry for the U760, positioning it as a future adjunct to crewed fighter jets.

Related News: Airbus unveils U760 Ravenstorm stealth combat drone at ILA 2026 to improve European defense

The U760 is intended to operate alongside crewed aircraft, particularly the Eurofighter, carrying out strike, air defense, data relay, and electronic warfare missions (Picture source: Army Recognition)

The Ravenstorm is 13 meters long with a wingspan of 10 meters. Its airframe features a swept mid-mounted wing, outward-canted twin vertical tails, and a dorsal air intake, a configuration that suggests an emphasis on reducing radar signature. Airbus has not released data on its stealth characteristics, propulsion system, speed, range, service ceiling, or maximum takeoff weight. According to the company, the U760 builds on experience gained through the Barracuda technology demonstrator and the Low Observable UAV Testbed (LOUT) program.

The U760 is intended to operate alongside crewed aircraft, particularly the Eurofighter, carrying out strike, air defense, data relay, and electronic warfare missions. Its autonomy and coordination are to be managed by the MARS (Multiplatform Autonomous Reconfigurable and Secure) mission system, an artificial intelligence-supported software core designed to handle navigation, mission planning, data processing, and cooperation with other platforms. The Ravenstorm nevertheless remains at the full-scale mock-up stage, and Airbus has not yet disclosed a timeline for its first flight, weapons testing, or series production.

The Ravenstorm is also displayed with missiles positioned alongside the mock-up. The representative weapons set includes MBDA SPEAR air-to-surface missiles and Meteor long-range air-to-air missiles. During the aircraft's first public appearance at the ILA Berlin Air Show, the display configuration included two Meteor missiles and four SPEAR missiles, illustrating the two primary categories of missions envisioned for the drone. However, the presence of these weapons alongside the mock-up does not confirm their final integration or the operational weapons configuration selected by Airbus. The company has not specified whether these weapons will be carried internally, on external hardpoints, or through a combination of both approaches.

The Meteor represents the air-to-air component of the display. Developed by MBDA for beyond-visual-range engagements, it corresponds to Airbus' stated objective of equipping the Ravenstorm with medium- and long-range air-to-air missiles. The SPEAR represents the air-to-surface component. This compact weapon is designed to engage ground targets from stand-off range and, because of its dimensions, allows multiple missiles to be carried on a single platform. More broadly, Airbus states that the Ravenstorm is intended to conduct precision-guided air-to-surface strikes, perform air defense missions, and carry out electronic warfare operations.

The SPEAR family also includes the SPEAR-EW variant, designed to provide jamming, deception, and disruption effects against enemy air defense radars. These capabilities correspond to some of the missions envisaged for the Ravenstorm, particularly the suppression of enemy air defenses and offensive counter-air operations using non-kinetic effects. However, neither Airbus nor MBDA has confirmed that the SPEAR-EW has been formally integrated on the U760. The presence of SPEAR missiles around the mock-up should therefore be regarded as an illustration of the platform's intended weapons options rather than confirmation of a qualified operational configuration.

The presentation also reflects Airbus' two-step approach to collaborative combat aircraft. The U740 Valkyrie is intended to provide an initial operational experimentation capability before the arrival of the Ravenstorm. Airbus is preparing two airframes acquired from the U.S. company Kratos and plans to fly them with its European mission systems during 2026. The company aims to deliver a capability for the German Air Force in 2029, including initial air-to-ground functions and cooperation with the Eurofighter. The Ravenstorm represents the next stage, with an Airbus-developed airframe using the same MARS mission system, whose software core is designed to manage autonomy, mission planning, and cooperation with crewed aircraft.

This approach places Airbus in a market where several American and European manufacturers are simultaneously developing comparable aircraft. The U.S. Air Force plans to procure more than 150 collaborative combat aircraft before the end of the decade, while Boeing is producing seven Ghost Bat aircraft for the Australian Defence Force. In Europe, several manufacturers are also developing drones designed to operate alongside crewed fighters. This growing number of programs reflects the gradual expansion of the collaborative combat aircraft segment, although it does not yet indicate the widespread adoption of the Ravenstorm itself. No production contract, export customer, or production quantity has yet been announced for the U760, and the aircraft currently remains at the full-scale mock-up stage.

The development of collaborative combat aircraft is accelerating as aerospace defense companies introduce uncrewed platforms designed to accompany and operate under the direction of crewed fighter aircraft. At Farnborough 2026, Airbus presents the U760 Ravenstorm alongside other systems such as Boeing's MQ-28 Ghost Bat, while BAE Systems unveils the Brontanax, a British collaborative combat aircraft intended to operate with the Typhoon on electronic warfare and precision strike missions. The presence of these aircraft at the airshow reflects manufacturers' efforts to position their programs before potential customers as this segment moves progressively into flight testing, industrial development, and commercial competition.

Written By Erwan Halna du Fretay - Defense Analyst, Army Recognition Group
Erwan Halna du Fretay holds a Master’s degree in International Relations and has experience studying conflicts and global arms transfers. His research interests lie in Security and strategic studies, particularly the dynamics of the defense industry, the evolution of military technologies, and the strategic transformation of armed forces.