The U.S. Air Force and Navy are collaborating on a "Collaborative Combat Aircraft" (CCA) initiative, focusing on developing unmanned aerial systems (UAS) to act as "loyal wingmen" to manned fighters.
Britain’s Mosquito Wingman Drone Could Fly With the F-35 This Decade
As a loyal wingman drone, the Mosquito will support the aircraft to which it is attached in a wide range of combat, reconnaissance, electronic warfare, and surveillance roles.
Even as the United Kingdom forges ahead with F-35B fighter procurement plans and an ambitious project for a home-grown next-generation fighter, London is also quietly building an advanced loyal wingman combat drone.
Air Chief Marshal Mike Wigston gave a comprehensive interview to Defense News earlier this week. In it, he discussed London’s procurement strategy into the coming decades and shed light on the ongoing controversy surrounding the UK’s F-35 fleet size. Toward the end of the interview, Wigston was asked about the UK’s Mosquito loyal wingman drone program. Wigston explained that both the Tempest fighter and the Mosquito project are part of the Future Combat Air System (FCAS), which he described as “a mix of piloted comba