May 14, 2025 - Technology

U.K. rolls out jammer drones to shield F-35 and Typhoon fighters

The U.K. launched StormShroud, drone wingmen designed to blind radars and draw fire away from far pricier, manned aircraft like the F-35 and Typhoon.

Why it matters: Human-machine innovation bounds ahead outside the U.S.

The Royal Air Force will for the first time "benefit from high-end electronic warfare without needing crew to man it," the defense ministry and prime minister's office said in a joint statement.

State of play: StormShroud combines the Tekever AR3 unmanned aerial vehicle with the Leonardo U.K. BriteStorm electronic warfare payload.

The AR3 has more than 10,000 hours of flight time in Ukraine.
Research and development for the jammer began in 2017. Leonardo said it can also be mounted to missiles.
Together, it's the first in a line of autonomous collaborative platforms (ACP) the military is anticipating.

Air Chief Marshal Sir Rich Knighton, chief of the Air Staff, in a statement described StormShroud's arrival as a "seminal moment."

ACPs will "revolutionize how we conduct a range of missions," he added, "from intelligence gathering to strike and logistical support."

Zoom out: The U.S. Air Force is in pursuit of its own robo-wingmen known as collaborative combat aircraft.

Ground tests for YFQ-42A, made by General Atomics, and YFQ-44A, made by Anduril Industries, are underway.