The German company HELSING presented the Ca-1 Europaan AI-controlled UCAV weighing four tonnes, designed to fly autonomously, in sham-shaped or as a supportive “Wingman” for manned fighters, intensifying the race for cheaper and consumables unmanned airline systems.

Introducing the angular, tail-shaped tail in a factory outside Munich, Helsing said that “CA-1 Europa” will make its first flight in 2027 and will be available for military operations over the next four years.

Helsing is the latest military technology company to claim a major manufacturer of weapons systems, competing major defense industry giants, reflecting the growing role of artificial intelligence and pressing needs for faster growth times.

Weighing four tonnes, the CA-1 Europa belongs to a rapidly growing category known as unmanned fighter aircraft (UCAVs), which are cheaper and more consumable than classic fighters, at a time when the air forces are facing taller.

Helsing said that the drone, with artificial intelligence, will be able to operate on its own in flocks with other unmanned vehicles or under the control of advanced fighter aircraft in the Wingman type formation.

Last year, US Air Force chose Californian Start-Up Anduril and Drones Reaper Manufacturer, General Atomics, to develop the first fleet of “collaborative fighter aircraft”, which can perform missions such as signal interference or bait.

In June, Airbus presented its own concept for a drone designed to fly next to today’s generation of fighters such as the Eurofighter Typhoon.

Helsing said it is planning an investment of hundreds of millions of euros in the project, which would include cooperation with other, unnamed, European companies.

He did not reveal which weapons he can bring or how much it will cost, but the costs will be significantly lower than a conventional fighter aircraft.

Helsing, founded in 2021, specializes in artificial intelligence software and has also turned to the provision of smaller impact drones in Ukraine after the full -scale Russian invasion in 2022.