Modern air forces are set to supplement manned fighter force with new 'loyal wingmen' uncrewed combat air vehicles (UCAVs) that will reintroduce mass into air operations. This will better position combat air forces to engage in a contested environment in potential near-peer conflicts. As manned combat aircraft have become more sophisticated over the years, the cost of such aircraft has risen by an order of magnitude. The result is fewer combat aircraft in air force inventories, so losses are more keenly felt and mission successes are put at risk. The addition of more affordable 'loyal wingman' types of UCAV will put more capability in the air, dispersed across multiple platforms. This allows more risks to be taken, with the ability to sustain a higher level of attrition and still complete a mission. These new uncrewed aircraft are true UCAVs, designed for high speed and autonomy to increase survivability in a contested environment. As air forces move away from counter-insurgency operations to dealing with near-peer threats, the loyal wingman has become a priority.Existing remotely piloted air systems (RPAS) that have been fitted with weapons are not proper UCAVs, despite the best marketing efforts of firms like Bayraktar with its TB2 RPAS. While they have a useful role in providing a persistent uncrewed strike capability in uncontested or semi-contested environments, this is not sufficient when confronted by effective air defence systems.
展开▼
