European defense leaders Saab and Airbus are in discussions to jointly develop unmanned combat aircraft technologies designed to operate alongside crewed fighters — mirroring the U.S. Air Force’s Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) concept.
Senior executives from both firms confirmed the talks to Reuters, while industry insiders noted that a successful collaboration on a “loyal wingman” drone could pave the way for broader cooperation on European air-defense solutions.
The prospective partnership could also serve as a contingency plan should the embattled Future Combat Air System (FCAS) — a joint effort by Airbus, Dassault Aviation, and Indra Sistemas to strengthen Europe’s defense autonomy — ultimately be abandoned.
In 2024, Airbus announced work on manned–unmanned teaming (MUM-T) capabilities for the Eurofighter Typhoon and introduced its “Wingman” drone concept, intended to accompany piloted jets and support a range of mission types.
One year later, Airbus teamed with U.S.-based Kratos to offer the XQ-58A Valkyrie to the German Air Force, targeting entry by 2029 and using the platform for MUM-T training.
Comparable industry alliances are also forming across Europe, including partnerships between Anduril–Rheinmetall and General Dynamics–General Atomics Aerotec Systems to pitch CCA-style systems to regional militaries.
