Story perspectives

Royal Navy adopts hybrid air wing, launches autonomous carrier jets

5/30/2026

Summary

Story summary

Royal Navy is adopting a platform-agnostic hybrid air wing concept.
Commodore Steve Bolton said at Combined Naval Event 2026 Maritime Aviation Transformation program integrated Peregrine system, which flew on HMS Lancaster from February to December 2025.
Project VANQUISH will launch an autonomous combat aircraft from a Queen Elizabeth-class carrier without catapult within twelve to eighteen months, while PANTHEON seeks a digital architecture and procedures to embed uncrewed systems in squadrons.

History

Historical Context

In August 2013 the U.S. Navy awarded four $15-million design contracts to Boeing, Lockheed Martin, General Atomics and Northrop Grumman for the Unmanned Carrier-Launched Airborne Surveillance and Strike (UCLASS) program. The effort was later redirected to the Carrier-Based Aerial-Refueling System, producing the MQ-25 Stingray and prompting allied navies to pursue comparable carrier-borne drone capabilities.

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Story summary

Royal Navy is adopting a platform-agnostic hybrid air wing concept.
Commodore Steve Bolton said at Combined Naval Event 2026 Maritime Aviation Transformation program integrated Peregrine system, which flew on HMS Lancaster from February to December 2025.
Project VANQUISH will launch an autonomous combat aircraft from a Queen Elizabeth-class carrier without catapult within twelve to eighteen months, while PANTHEON seeks a digital architecture and procedures to embed uncrewed systems in squadrons.

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