An artist's impression of the ECW ‘loyal wingman' concept for the Luftwaffe being remotely controlled by a Eurofighter EK electronic combat aircraft. (Airbus)

Airbus is to develop a manned-unmanned teaming (MUM-T) capability to enable the Eurofighter Typhoon combat aircraft to remotely control ‘loyal wingmen' under the System and Teaming Advanced Research (STAR) programme.

An employment opportunity recently posted by the company for a chief engineer on the project spelled out its key objectives, not just for the Eurofighter but also as a bridge to the Future Combat Air System (FCAS)/Système de Combat Aérien du Futur (SCAF) programme.

As noted in the listing, the project to be undertaken at Airbus Defence and Space's Manching facility in southern Germany sits within the X-Platform Capability Study (XPCS). It is geared towards showcasing a first demonstration of MUM-T on the Eurofighter, with the mid- to long-term goal of introducing command-and-control capabilities onto the aircraft in preparation for FCAS/SCAF.

The Malvus Sense and JOUAV VTOL UAS, CW-25H, on display at DSA 2024. (Janes/Vinod Kumar CV)

Malaysian firm Malvus Sense unveiled the CW-25H, a new hydrogen-electric-powered vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) unmanned aircraft system (UAS), in collaboration with Chinese UAS firm JOUAV at the Defence Services Asia (DSA) 2024 exhibition held in Kuala Lumpur from 6 to 9 May.

Powered by hydrogen-electric hybrid technology, the CW-25H has a flight time of up to 330 minutes.

The two companies are collaborating on UASs for the Malaysian Armed Forces. JOUAV designs and develops drones, while Malvus Sense assembles them in Malaysia.

The CW-25H has a maximum service ceiling of 6,000 m and a cruising speed of 80 km/h. It is adaptable for various applications from infrastructure inspection to environmental monitoring.

Syed Omar Syed Mohamad, managing director of Malvus Sense, said, “The CW-25H represents a paradigm shift in aerial operations. Its hydrogen-electric hybrid technology not only extends endurance but also ensures environmental sustainability. We are proud to offer a solution that not only meets but exceeds industry standards, setting a new benchmark for efficiency, safety, and performance.”

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An Aerovel Flexrotor unmanned aerial vehicle takes off from the flight deck of the guided-missile destroyer USS Paul Hamilton (DDG 60) in the Gulf in March 2023. Airbus has now acquired the manufacturer as it looks to expand its portfolio in the tactical vertical take-off and landing unmanned aircraft sector. (US Navy)

Airbus has completed the purchase of US company Aerovel, which manufactures the Flexrotor unmanned aircraft system (UAS).

The European company announced the milestone on 7 May, saying it will strengthen its portfolio of tactical unmanned solutions.

“We see more and more armed forces and parapublic agencies around the world looking to investigate how unmanned aerial systems can strengthen their intelligence and surveillance capabilities,” Airbus said.

Based in Bingen, Washington state, Aerovel manufactures the Flexrotor, which is a rotary- and fixed-winged vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) unmanned aircraft designed for intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition, and reconnaissance (ISTAR) missions at sea and over land. With a maximum take-off weight (MTOW) of 25 kg, the Flexrotor can operate for upwards of 14 hours while carrying a range of electro-optic/infrared (EO/IR) payloads.