Today, Sébastien Lecornu, France’s Minister of Defence, announced the development launch of an Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicle (UCAV) program that will complement the future Rafale F5 fighting aircraft standard after 2030 as a “loyal wingman.”

The announcement was made at a ceremony marking the 60th anniversary of the French Strategic Air Forces (FAS) at the Saint-Dizier air base, in the presence of General Jérôme Bellanger, Chief of Staff of the French Air and Space Force (AAE), and Éric Trappier, Chairman and CEO of Dassault Aviation.

This UCAV will be operationally complementary to the Rafale and will be suitable for cooperative combat. It will also incorporate stealth technologies, autonomous control (man-in-the-loop), internal payload capacity, among others. 

Also read: nEUROn | The European STEALTH UCAV developed with the contribution of HAI – Photos & VIDEO

According to the company, it will benefit from the achievements of the nEUROn program, Europe’s first stealth UCAV demonstrator, in which Greece also participated.

Initiated in 2003, the nEUROn program brought together the aeronautics resources of six European countries, with project management being under Dassault Aviation. 

nEUROn completed its maiden flight in December 2012. More than 170 test flights have been conducted to date. The nEUROn program has lived up to all its promises in terms of performance levels, lead times, and budget.

The Rafale F5, capable of carrying ASN4G fourth-generation nuclear missiles and combined with the new UCAV, will ensure France’s capability superiority in aerial warfare in the coming decades.

Also read: France | Rafale fighter jet successfully fires ASMPA-R missile