Rheinmetall Eyes US Partnership for Unmanned Combat Aircraft

Rheinmetall is in talks with American companies Lockheed Martin, Boeing, and Anduril about a collaboration on unmanned combat aircraft, also known as Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA). The German armed forces will require approximately 400 of these aircraft—a “big business,” Rheinmetall CEO Armin Papperger noted in a recent analyst call.

Papperger indicated that the procurement process is focused on rapid implementation, which favours suppliers with established experience in the field. He emphasised that in his view, newcomers to the CCA market are not the preferred suppliers. A joint project with a US partner could see the American company handle 30 to 40 per cent of the value creation, with the remainder handled by European partners. Rheinmetall aims to secure a majority stake in a European business hub for such a project and would be responsible for implementing the US technology.

Boeing, Papperger mentioned, already has a CCA in the air in Australia. Since 2017, the U.S. company has been developing the MQ-28 Ghost Bat with the Australian government. Glen Ferguson, Boeing’s MQ-28 Global Program Director, explained that the Ghost Bat is designed to operate with all known fighter jets, including the Eurofighter. He highlighted that interoperability and “interchangeability” with all existing aircraft and air forces were a primary requirement for Australia’s small armed forces during the development. As a result, the MQ-28 features a “completely open architecture and mission system.” The German Air Force is also understood to have examined the MQ-28 during an international market survey for future CCAs. According to Ferguson, users of the MQ-28 can independently perform all maintenance, repair, and overhaul tasks on-site, and production is feasible “anywhere in the world.” Initial operational capability for the Australian Air Force is planned for 2028.

Papperger also noted that Anduril’s CEO has offered to let a Rheinmetall team examine all of its technology for potential use in Europe. In mid-June, Rheinmetall and Anduril Industries announced a strategic partnership to jointly develop and produce Barracuda cruise missiles, Fury combat drones, and solid-fuel rocket motors for Europe. This cooperation includes integrating a European version of Anduril’s Fury CCA into Rheinmetall’s “Battlesuite.” The Fury is an unmanned aircraft developed by Anduril, with its maiden flight still pending. According to an Anduril spokesperson in Paris, the Fury’s design incorporates insights from the development of the U.S. Air Force’s CCA programme, where Anduril is one of two remaining competitors, alongside General Atomics.

Papperger’s comments did not specify which CCA is being discussed with Lockheed Martin. Rheinmetall already cooperates with the US firm on a number of projects, including missile production and the construction of mid-fuselage sections for the F-35 fighter jet in Weeze, North Rhine-Westphalia.

Other contenders are also vying for the German CCA market. In mid-July, Airbus Defence and Space announced a collaboration with the US company Kratos to have a CCA, based on the XQ-58A Valkyrie with an Airbus-developed mission system, ready for the German Air Force by 2029. 

Around the same time, General Atomics stated its plan for a rapid deployment of a European CCA based on a US platform. This new aircraft would be assembled in Europe with European mission systems, with a joint team from its US and German aerospace subsidiaries. The company states the new aircraft is based on the US Air Force’s YFQ-42A prototype, which is currently undergoing ground testing, with a maiden flight scheduled for this summer. Furthermore, observers believe that the AI-specialised defence company Helsing is also interested in developing CCAs, following its acquisition of aircraft manufacturer Grob. Helsing has developed an AI-agent for CCAs called Centaur, which has flown a Gripen-E autonomously. 

Calibre comment 

CCAs are seen as a critical requirement for Western air forces because they have lost a lot of combat mass over the previous three decades. Critical capabilities like suppression of enemy air defence have been lost and not recovered. Uncrewed platforms, like the UK’s StormShroud are hoped to facilitate theatre entry, allowing a mix of crewed and uncrewed platforms to form strike packages against enemy air defences and air platforms. However, it is not yet clear that CCAs are significantly cheaper than a conventional jet, which may mean that while they are likely more attritable than a crewed aircraft, no force will be willing to risk them without good preparation. 

This article, written by Lars Hoffman, was originally published by hartpunkt on August 8, 2025, and republished by Calibre Defence on August 9. Credit for the lead image is Boeing Defense, it shows two MQ-28 Ghost Bats teaming with an E-7 Wedgetail.