The UK will build its own guided drones. Yesterday, April 28, the portal janes.com he announced that the company Spirit AeroSystems has announced all participants in the Lightweight Affordable Novel Combat Aircraft (LANCA) program, which will produce unmanned Mosquito fighters.
The future creation of the Mosquito drones was announced in January this year, when the UK Ministry of Defense provided Spirit AeroSystems with £30 million for the development and production of prototype drones. Yesterday, Spirit AeroSystems announced the completion of the team, which will also include specialists from Northrop Grumman and Intrepid Minds.
Render of the Mosquito drone
Image source: gov.uk
"The non-crewed Mosquito combat aircraft will be designed to fly at high speed alongside fighter jets. Armed with missiles, surveillance technology, and electronic warfare, it will be able to provide an advantage over enemy forces. These planes, known as "loyal wingmen", will be the first unmanned platforms in the UK capable of hitting enemy aircraft, as well as surviving in the fight against surface-to — air missiles, "the press service of the Ministry of Defense of the United Kingdom reported.
Flight tests of the Mosquito are planned for 2023. In the future, these drones will become wingmen of Typhoon, Tempest and F-35 fighters.