BAE Systems unveiled the Brontanax Collaborative Combat Aircraft to fly alongside the Eurofighter Typhoon and GCAP’s next-generation fighter at FIA2026.
The UK’s BAE Systems unveiled its CCA to operate alongside manned fighters, Brontanax, during the FIA2026 exhibition.
Brontanax will compete as an indigenous solution in the UK’s Storm Fighter programme that aims to establish MUM-T capabilities across the legacy and future fighter fleets of the RAF. MQ-28 (Boeing Australia), FQ-44 (Anduril), and FQ-42 (GA-ASI) are the other possibilities in the programme as bilateral partnership offers.
BAE Systems is also displaying the plans for Eurofighter Typhoon that include integration with Brontanax CCA.
According to BAE Systems, Brontanax, close to the Hawk advanced trainer in size, will support manned aircraft with electronic warfare and strike capabilities.
The design of Brontanax consists of a large wing area with V-tails and the air intake placed at the nose. Judging by its size being close to the Hawk trainer, it is believed that Brontanax can house a small number of air-to-air or air-to-surface munitions internally and likely carry extras under the wings.
Brontanax could be described as the spiritual evolution of the Lightweight Affordable Novel Combat Aircraft (LANCA) concept. Previously, the MOSQUITO demonstrator was selected within the LANCA programme in 2021 with the goal of a demo flight in 2023 to provide similar capabilities. However, the project was cancelled in 2022 to go in a “different direction”.
Author: Kaan Azman
Editor: Özgür Ekşi
