RAF Chief Says AI-Powered 'Robot Fighter Jets' Are Needed Now - Business Insider
AI Analysis
The Royal Air Force (RAF) is accelerating its timeline for fielding an 'AI air force' with 'robot fighter jets,' initially planned for 2035, now considered a present-day necessity. This shift is driven by observations of modern conflict and the need to augment existing airpower with autonomous systems. The StormShroud drone, an electronic warfare platform, is already in service and the RAF has a strategy for full integration by 2030.
Key Takeaways
- RAF Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Harvey Smyth, states the 'AI air force' is needed 'today,' not by 2035.
- The RAF is developing and deploying 'loyal wingman' drones (also termed collaborative combat aircraft/autonomous collaborative platforms) to operate alongside piloted aircraft.
- The StormShroud drone, operational since May 2025, is a key component, designed for radar jamming and path clearing for F-35Bs and Typhoons.
- The RAF launched its Autonomous Collaborative Platform (ACP) Strategy in 2024, aiming for 'battle-winning ACP capabilities' integrated into the force structure by 2030.
- Recent conflicts in the Middle East are cited as a catalyst for accelerating AI integration in air warfare.
Why It Matters
This acceleration signals a significant shift in UK defense strategy towards embracing autonomous systems to counter evolving threats and maintain a technological edge. The integration of AI-powered drones will likely change air combat tactics, reducing risk to pilots and increasing overall operational effectiveness. This development also indicates a broader trend among Western air forces towards similar capabilities.
RAF Chief Says AI-Powered 'Robot Fighter Jets' Are Needed Now - Business Insider
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The Royal Air Force is fielding the StormShroud drone, designed to jam enemy radars and clear a path for fighter jets. Royal Air Force photo
2026-05-07T13:29:00.412Z
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The UK aimed to field an 'AI air force' by 2035, the head of the Royal Air Force said.
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Modern conflict in the Middle East is showing that this technology is needed much sooner.
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A priority for the RAF is the development of "robot fighter jets" to work alongside crewed planes.
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What is the RAF's 'combat air strategy'?
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What is a 'loyal wingman' drone?
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Why is AI integration accelerating in the RAF?
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How will AI impact future air combat?
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How does AI change military strategies?
A top Royal Air Force officer says Britain's vision of an AI-powered air force is no longer a future goal for the 2030s — it's here today and needed now.
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Air Chief Marshal Harvey Smyth, the head of the British Royal Air Force, said the UK initially thought it was roughly a decade away from becoming what he described as an "AI air force" that operates "robot fighter jets" alongside traditional crewed aircraft.
"We've known that that is our future, but maybe two, three years ago, we would have talked about 2035 as the endpoint. I think it's today," Smyth, the Chief of the Air Staff, said inside a hangar at an RAF base in the UK, the location of which has been withheld for security reasons.
The Royal Air Force is one of several Western air forces pursuing autonomous, AI-powered drones, which, depending on the country and the developer, are known by names such as "loyal wingmen," " collaborative combat aircraft," or "autonomous collaborative platforms."
These uncrewed systems are designed to fly with or ahead of piloted fighter jets to augment overall airpower; they can also be used to penetrate contested high-threat areas without putting a human pilot at risk.
One example of this new technology is the UK's StormShroud drone, which can jam enemy radars and clear pathways for British F-35Bs and Typhoon fighter jets that would otherwise be vulnerable to surface-to-air missiles. The uncrewed system entered service in May 2025.
The StormShroud drone is seen on display in 2025. Photo by Leon Neal/Getty Images
The Royal Air Force launched its Autonomous Collaborative Platform Strategy in 2024, outlining its plan to integrate uncrewed aircraft into the force. A document detailing the strategy says that by 2030, "battle-winning ACP capabilities" will play an "integral part" in the British force structure and routinely operate alongside piloted systems.
"We always knew, in theory, that thi