Overview
- The UK formally christened its Collaborative Combat Aircraft effort Storm Fighter on Thursday when Defence Minister Luke Pollard unveiled the programme at the Global Air and Space Chiefs' Conference.
- The Defence Investment Plan commits roughly £300 million to launch the programme and sets a demonstrator flight goal of “at least 2030,” while RAF leaders have said they hope to fly a demonstrator with a Typhoon sooner.
- RAF leadership announced plans for at least two Storm Fighter variants: Storm Chrome for electronic attack and Storm Fire as a long‑range, one‑way strike drone the RAF says could reach about 1,000 miles.
- Storm Fighter builds on last year’s StormShroud autonomous electronic‑warfare drone and sits alongside major industrial work under the Global Combat Air Programme, including the Edgewing consortium contract for design and testing.
- Officials frame the programme as a way to deliver lower‑cost force expansion—carrying extra missiles, jamming radars and acting as a missile sponge—to boost pilot survivability, support jobs and open export and partnership opportunities.