Writer

Charlotte Bailey

GKN Aerospace has revealed its role in the design and manufacture of BAE Systems’ first collaborative combat aircraft (CCA) prototype, ‘Brontanax’. <a href="https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/defense/2026-07-22/bae-unveils-brontanax-cca">Unveiled</a> at last week’s Farnborough airshow, the operational concept demonstrator is set to fly in the second half of 2027, spurred on by an evidenced capability need and what GKN described as “an accelerated timeline.”
On July 29, GKN reported it had completed the engineering, manufacturing, and full prototype integration of flight-ready wings, fins, and control surfaces for Brontanax. Flight-ready components were manufactured at GKN’s composite design and assembly facility at Cowes on the Isle of Wight.
Although BAE has been working on its own CCA program since 2022, Brontanax has been conceived to meet the UK’s ‘Storm Fighter’ requirement to develop and field the uncrewed adjuncts. Announced during July’s Global Air and Space Chiefs Conference, Storm Fighter also aims to have Brontanax participate in a NATO air defence exercise towards the end of 2027.
BAE Systems' head of autonomous collaborative platforms Mark Wilson described the “rapid progression from concept to prototype integration” as a remarkable achievement, and one that has been accomplished “within an extraordinarily compressed timeline.”&nbsp;

News and issues relating to civil and military unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and remotely piloted aircraft systems (RPAS) of all kinds and sizes, including those used for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR), combat (unmanned combat air vehicles, or UCAVs), law enforcement, research and other applications. Of particular focus is the FAA's planned integration of UAS into the U.S. national airspace system.

GKN Makes Structures For BAE's Brontanax Collaborative Combat Aircraft

Composite specialist is manufacturing wings and control surfaces for the prototype

GKN Aerospace has revealed its role in the design and manufacture of BAE Systems’ first Brontanax collaborative combat aircraft prototype.

GKN Confirms Manufacturing Role For BAE's Brontanax Drone

2024 Corporate Aviation Leadership Summit

Charles Alcock

Elroy Air plans fourth-quarter public listing via SPAC

Kratos To Build Chaparral Cargo VTOL in Sacramento

Hanneke Weitering

Brazilian start-up expects to fly the Moya 760 by year-end

Moya Begins Building Full-scale Autonomous Cargo eVTOL

David Donald

Essential news and analysis on the defense aerospace business. Your trusted source for new and ongoing programs and requirements in military aircraft (manned and unmanned), engines, avionics, weapons and associated systems, including ground-based air defense.

In this article

GKN Aerospace

More In Unmanned Aerial Vehicles

Kratos To Build Chaparral Cargo VTOL in Sacramento

Elroy Air plans fourth-quarter public listing via SPAC

Moya Begins Building Full-scale Autonomous Cargo eVTOL

Brazilian start-up expects to fly the Moya 760 by year-end

BAE Unveils Brontanax CCA

The first example is essentially complete and will fly next year

General Atomics Adds More Weapons to SkyGuardian

Paveway IV, Brimstone, Spear, and JSM are being added to the MQ-9B’s arsenal

Japanese Leasing Group Backs Archer's Halo Utility Drone

Halo is the commercial version of the Thunder autonomous platform

BAE Systems’ Blizzard Hits Farnborough

BAE Systems FalconWorks is collaborating with the Skunk Works on a multi-mission air vehicle

Ahead of the Rest: MQ-28 Nears Australian Service

RAAF will become the first air arm to operate a collaborative combat aircraft

Voyageur Orders Airbus Flexrotor for Canadian ISR

Uncrewed Airbus platform can fly 12-hour missions

AIN Products

SUBSCRIPTIONS

RESOURCES

ABOUT AIN