Companies are intensifying efforts to deliver autonomous uncrewed fighter jets, with Boeing, General Atomics, Anduril, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, and Airbus all competing for dominance in what could become a multibillion-dollar defence market, Reuters reported.

At the Farnborough Air Show, Boeing showcased its Ghost Bat drone, a working aircraft already in service, while rivals displayed full-scale models of their designs.

The Ghost Bat has been described by Boeing as the most mature collaborative combat aircraft, having participated in a multinational military exercise led by the United States earlier this month and successfully completing a live-fire test against an aerial target in December.

Boeing emphasised that it has been developing the program since 2017, with over 100 test flights conducted, and is currently producing seven aircraft for the Australian Defence Force under a three-year contract worth A$754 million ($528 million).

Anduril Industries highlighted its rapid progress, noting that in just two years it had achieved milestones surpassing those of competitors who have been working on similar projects for many years.

The company recently began building its FURY combat drone at a new facility in Ohio, with the capacity to produce up to 150 aircraft annually. Last week, the U.S. Air Force conducted a live-fire test involving Anduril’s aircraft over the Mojave Desert.

The service has already awarded production contracts to General Atomics and Anduril for its Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) program, which aims to field more than 150 combat-capable aircraft by the end of the decade.

General Atomics, with decades of experience in uncrewed systems such as the Predator drone, has produced multiple aircraft for the U.S. Air Force program. The company stressed its extensive record of autonomous flight hours, underscoring its expertise in the field.

The U.S. Air Force has said that competition will determine a primary provider for the first phase of the CCA program, with an award expected by summer 2027. Aircraft costs are projected to be a third or less of the F-35 fighter jet, which exceeds $80 million per unit.

Lockheed Martin is also advancing its uncrewed combat aircraft, currently in the build phase and scheduled to fly next year. Alongside hardware contracts, the U.S. Air Force has awarded mission autonomy software contracts to six vendors, including Lockheed Martin, ensuring that autonomy remains central to the program’s evolution.

European governments are pursuing parallel initiatives. Airbus unveiled its U760 Ravenstorm at the air show, expected to be operational in the early 2030s. In the meantime, Airbus is developing the U740 Valkyrie, with test flights planned later this year using aircraft acquired from U.S.-based Kratos Defence.

Airbus stated that this approach would provide European air forces with operational experimentation capabilities in the near term. Boeing has also partnered with German companies to offer an aircraft to the German Air Force by 2029, signalling transatlantic collaboration in this emerging sector.

Industry analysts suggest that while the market could eventually reach hundreds of aircraft annually, widespread adoption may not occur until the mid-2030s.

Nevertheless, the race to deliver autonomous uncrewed fighter jets is accelerating, with companies leveraging both hardware maturity and software innovation to secure a foothold in future air combat.

Agencies