RAF chief says AI drones will accompany Typhoon fighters by decade's end
Air Chief Marshal Harv Smyth told a London lecture that the Royal Air Force will pair each Typhoon fighter with four AI‑enabled “loyal wingman” drones. The plan, part of the £300 million Storm Fighter programme announced in July, aims for the first tests next year and full service by the end of the decade, aligning with NATO’s directive for the UK to be ready to fight Russia by 2030.
Key points
- RAF chief Harv Smyth announced plan for four AI‑enabled “loyal wingman” drones to fly with each Typhoon fighter, with tests next year.
- The £300 million Storm Fighter programme aims to have the drones in service by the end of the decade to meet NATO’s 2030 Russia‑readiness directive.
- RAF personnel numbers have fallen from 29,800 in 2020 to 27,850 today, prompting the shift toward autonomy to ease recruitment pressures.
Smyth said the shift to autonomy will move personnel “towards the outside”, reducing the need for crewed platforms as recruitment has slipped from 29,800 in 2020 to 27,850 today. He cited examples of AI use by the US, Israel, Russia and Ukraine, noting how drones can track aircraft across the Greenland‑Ireland‑UK gap and provide a force‑multiplier in contested airspace. Defence secretary Wes Streeting warned the UK has “a little over 1,000 days” to complete its readiness mission.
‘Autonomy, not flesh’: RAF official outlines AI drone-powered future
The Guardian AI · 26 October 2026
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This text was published by The Guardian AI and written by Dan Sabbagh Defence and security editor. It is reproduced here with attribution so you can read it in full; the rights remain with the publisher. Read it at the source ↗
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