RAF launches StormFighter CCA effort to become ‘Europe's first sixth-generation air force'

BAE Systems with its Autonomous Collaborative Platform concept (pictured) will be one of a number of vendors contesting the RAF's newly named StormFighter CCA requirement. (BAE Systems)

The UK Royal Air Force (RAF) has launched a new unmanned collaborative combat aircraft (CCA) programme named StormFighter geared at turning it into “Europe's first sixth-generation air force”, a senior government official announced on 16 July 2026.

Speaking at the Air Power Association Global Air and Space Chiefs' Conference 2026 in London, Minister for Defence Readiness and Industry Luke Pollard said that the StormFighter will come from the GBP300 million (USD406 million) investment in CCAs included in the Defence Investment Plan (DIP) published on 2 July 2026.

“We are maximising our air power in the eye of the storm of future combat, that will be swarming with drones, sixth-generation fighter jets and ever evolving [electronic warfare] EW capabilities,” Polland said, adding, “I am delighted to reveal that our new autonomous CCA programme will be named StormFighter […] to deliver guardian angel and attack dog drones to fly into combat with the Typhoon, F-35 and Tempest. StormFighter will make the RAF's Europe's first sixth-generation air force.”

Ahead of the issuance of a formal set of requirements several contractors have already indicated their interest, most prominently BAE Systems and Boeing.