Electronics Weekly Electronics Design & Components Tech News
This is described as an unmanned fighter-type aircraft that would operate with current combat jets and receive its tasks from a pilot in a command aircraft, such as the Eurofighter.
Airbus states that, as a response to increasing operational requirements by the German Air Force, the Wingman concept is intended to augment manned combat aircraft with uncrewed platforms that can carry weapons.
“The current conflicts on Europe’s borders show how important air superiority is,” said Mike Schoellhorn, CEO at Airbus Defence and Space. “Manned-Unmanned Teaming will play a central role in achieving air superiority.”
“With an unmanned Wingman at their side, fighter pilots can operate outside the danger zone. They give the orders and always have the decision-making authority. Supported by AI, the wingman then takes over the dangerous tasks, including target reconnaissance and destruction or electronic jamming and deception of enemy air defense systems.”
Helsing, which is a defence AI and software company based in Munich, highlighted the role of autonomy and AI in UAV missions.
“Whilst we will always have a human in the loop, we must realize that the most dangerous parts of an unmanned mission will see a high degree of autonomy and thus require AI”, said Gundbert Scherf, Co-CEO at Helsing. “From the processing of data from sensors over the optimization of sub-systems to closing the loop on system-level: software-defined capabilities and AI will be a critical component of the Wingman system for the German Air Force.”
Under the AI agreement, Airbus will provide its expertise in unmanned and manned military aircraft and Helsing will contribute its software-defined mission capabilities, including the fusion of various sensors and algorithms for electronic warfare.
The agreement was signed at the ILA aerospace trade show in Berlin last week.
You can read more about the Wingman concept on the Airbus website.
See also: Leonardo turns to AI to handle future combat air mission data
