AI-powered 'Wingman' drones stun Paris Airshow 2025: What they are, how they work, and why Military is betting big
The Fury and the YFQ-42A
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At the Paris Airshow this year, drones took centre stage like never before. Some of the world's biggest defence companies and new-age tech firms gathered to show off next-generation 'wingman' drones, unmanned aircraft that fly alongside fighter jets and support them in combat.These drones are being developed to work closely with modern fighter planes and are set to reshape the way wars are fought. The growing popularity of drones in the Ukraine war and rising tensions in the Pacific region have pushed countries like the U.S. to invest heavily in this technology.Wingman drones, officially known as Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA), are uncrewed fighter-style planes that can perform dangerous missions alongside human pilots. They can do things like spy on the enemy, jam enemy signals, launch attacks, or even protect the pilot.Last year, the U.S. Air Force picked two companies, Anduril and General Atomics , to start building these advanced drones. These companies put their latest models on display at the Paris Airshow.California-based Anduril showcased a model of its Fury drone, which is planned to go into production by 2027. The company is moving fast, with plans to build a massive production facility in Ohio. Anduril has already supplied smaller drones to Ukraine and also signed a £30 million deal with the UK to send its compact Altius drones for Ukrainian use.General Atomics, meanwhile, displayed the YFQ-42A, its answer to the Fury. Both are being developed to support U.S. forces in the Pacific, especially in case of a conflict involving China and Taiwan. Boeing made headlines with a successful test involving its Ghost Bat drones. In the trial, the drones flew alongside a manned Australian surveillance aircraft and completed a mission, all controlled remotely by a human. Officials said this kind of drone could make one fighter jet as powerful as a team, using sensors that act like 'hundreds of eyes in the sky.'European defence firms aren't far behind. Companies like Saab, Dassault Aviation, Airbus, and Indra Sistemas are working on the Future Combat Air System, which will combine drones and manned fighter jets.Turkey's Baykar also brought its drones to the Paris Airshow for the first time, including the Akinci and the TB3, which can land on small aircraft carriers. Baykar has also teamed up with Italian company Leonardo to create unmanned systems together.In another major announcement, Germany's Rheinmetall said it would partner with Anduril to build Fury and Barracuda drones (a missile-style drone) for Europe.With rising global tensions and the growing success of drones in battlefields, the race to build smarter, faster, and more capable drones is heating up. And at this year's Paris Airshow, it's clear that the future of war may be fought by machines flying side-by-side with pilots.Inputs from Reuters
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