Airbus Presents U145, Ravenstorm and Eurodrone as Part of Expanded European Defence Drone Portfolio

Airbus Presents U145, Ravenstorm and Eurodrone as Part of Expanded European Defence Drone Portfolio

(IN BRIEF) Airbus is presenting one of Europe’s most extensive uncrewed aerial systems portfolios at ILA Berlin, showcasing technologies designed to support modern defence operations and sovereign European air power. The company’s display includes the new U145, an autonomous version of the H145 helicopter developed for cargo supply and adaptable to roles such as disaster management, firefighting, surveillance and drone mothership operations. Airbus is also highlighting its uncrewed collaborative combat aircraft family, including the U760 Ravenstorm, a full-scale combat drone concept designed for air-to-surface strikes, air-to-air defence and electronic warfare, and the U740 Valkyrie, developed with Kratos for the German Air Force and intended for operational experimentation and teaming with Eurofighter by 2029. The portfolio also includes light tactical systems such as Aliaca, Flexrotor and Capa-X, the U680 Bird of Prey drone interceptor, and the U950 Eurodrone, a long-endurance ISTAR platform scheduled for first flight in 2029. Airbus’ MARS mission system provides an AI-supported autonomy layer for several platforms, while the company’s new “U” naming structure standardises its uncrewed systems portfolio across its Helicopters and Defence and Space divisions.

(PRESS RELEASE) BERLIN, 9-Jun-2026 — /EuropaWire/ — Airbus is showcasing one of Europe’s most comprehensive uncrewed aerial systems portfolios at this year’s International Aerospace Exhibition in Berlin, highlighting a broad range of autonomous and remotely operated platforms designed to meet evolving defence requirements.

At ILA Berlin, Airbus is presenting technologies that span tactical drones, uncrewed helicopters, drone interceptors, uncrewed collaborative combat aircraft and long-endurance remotely piloted systems. The portfolio demonstrates Airbus’ focus on sovereign European air power and its ability to provide a full spectrum of uncrewed capabilities for modern defence operations.

Two major innovations are central to the company’s display. The first is the newly introduced U145, an autonomous and uncrewed version of the proven H145 helicopter. The second is the U760 Ravenstorm, a combat drone designed to operate alongside fighter pilots in missions including air-to-air combat, air-to-ground strikes and electronic warfare.

“Whatever uncrewed or ‘drone’ capability our customers need to strengthen sovereign air power, we deliver,” said Mike Schoellhorn, CEO of Airbus Defence and Space. “Our portfolio ranges from rapid-response drone interceptors and various tactical drones, autonomous cargo helicopters to uncrewed fighter aircraft UCCAs (Uncrewed Collaborative Combat Aircraft) operating co-operatively with crewed fighter jets. On the other side of the spectrum we have the Eurodrone, our very high payload and very long endurance ISTAR (Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition, and Reconnaissance) platform. Airbus provides the entire envelope of uncrewed capabilities required for modern multi-domain warfare. All our systems come with open architectures and a European mission system compatible with the wider European and international defence ecosystem.”

The Airbus U145 is being developed as a mission-agnostic platform for both civil and military applications. Its main role is expected to be high-volume cargo supply, but its modular architecture allows adaptation for disaster response, firefighting, armed scouting, surveillance and operation as a drone mothership for air-launched effects.

Airbus is also presenting its uncrewed collaborative combat aircraft family through the U760 Ravenstorm and U740 Valkyrie. These systems build on more than two decades of Airbus experience in uncrewed collaborative combat, beginning with the Barracuda demonstrator, which made its first flight 20 years ago and introduced design principles that helped shape this class of aircraft.

The U760 Ravenstorm represents the next stage in Airbus’ roadmap toward a scalable family of uncrewed collaborative combat aircraft. The full-scale model on display at ILA has a wingspan of 10 meters and a length of 13 meters. Designed for multi-domain missions, Ravenstorm is being developed for air-to-surface strikes using precision-guided munitions, air-to-air defence with long- and medium-range missiles, and electronic warfare, including suppression of enemy air defences and non-kinetic jamming for offensive counter-air missions. Ravenstorm is expected to become available in the early 2030s.

The U740 Valkyrie is being developed in cooperation with Kratos and is equipped with Airbus’ proprietary MARS, or Multiplatform Autonomous Reconfigurable and Secure Mission System. The aircraft is intended to provide the German Air Force with an operational and sovereign uncrewed collaborative combat capability by 2029. It will support operational experimentation, initial air-to-ground capabilities and teaming with the Eurofighter.

Airbus is also displaying a range of light tactical drones designed for surveillance, intelligence gathering and operational flexibility. The U010 Aliaca is a 25 kg uncrewed aerial system capable of carrying up to 3 kg of equipment for six hours, supporting imagery and reconnaissance missions. The U030 Flexrotor, also weighing 25 kg, can carry up to 8 kg of payload for 12 to 14 hours, making it suitable for long-endurance operations. The U050 Capa-X is a 120 kg system with the ability to carry up to 20 kg of equipment and can be adapted for different missions, environments and terrain conditions.

The company is also highlighting the U680 Bird of Prey, an uncrewed drone interceptor designed to counter massed aerial threats. The system can engage and neutralise multiple mid-sized one-way attack drones during a mission. Bird of Prey completed its first demonstration flight in March 2026, nine months after the project began, and Airbus plans additional flights during 2026 to further operationalise the platform. The system will be made available to armed forces seeking a national defence solution against drone threats.

A key part of Airbus’ uncrewed systems portfolio is the MARS mission system, which provides the intelligence layer for Ravenstorm, Valkyrie and Bird of Prey. MARS includes an AI-supported software core that enables platform autonomy and is designed to scale across the broader Airbus uncrewed portfolio. Airbus also intends to integrate MARS into the U950 Eurodrone.

The U950 Eurodrone is Europe’s first strategic Large Long Endurance Remotely Piloted Aircraft System. As a Medium-Altitude Long-Endurance platform, Eurodrone is designed to provide independent strategic ISTAR capabilities, early warning and anti-submarine warfare functions. The programme is progressing toward a scheduled first flight in 2029.

Airbus has also introduced a consistent naming system for its uncrewed portfolio. Following the existing use of “A” for fixed-wing aircraft and “H” for helicopters, the company is applying the “U” prefix to uncrewed systems across its Helicopters and Defence and Space divisions. The new naming structure is intended to simplify and unify Airbus’ product families across the full range of uncrewed aerial systems.

Through its presence at ILA Berlin, Airbus is demonstrating a broad, modular and sovereign European UAS portfolio built for modern multi-domain defence requirements, from tactical reconnaissance and drone interception to autonomous logistics and collaborative combat operations.

Note to editors
Airbus already uses a consistent naming logic across its product families: “A” for fixed-wing aircraft, “H” for helicopters. Extending this logic with a “U”-prefix for uncrewed systems streamlines the naming across our divisions. The renamed portfolio spans both our Helicopters and Defence and Space divisions, covering the full range of uncrewed aerial systems Airbus offers. For more information on the new product names, visit our website.

Media Contacts:

Christian Dörr
AIRBUS | Defence and Space
+49 170 560 2668
 christian.doerr@airbus.com