Photo: Airbus
Air combat superiority is not just about fighter jets or just about drones, but mostly about their ability to work together. Next-generation military aircraft must be adapted to include the coordination of unmanned operations, while specific types of military drones need to successfully complete their tasks once they’re launched.
This year marked the beginning of an official cooperation between the Finnish Armed Forces (FAF) and the German Armed Forces on something that’s still relatively new. It’s called MUM-T (Manned-Unmanned Teaming), a military capability referring to piloted combat aircraft working in tandem with unmanned aircraft that were specifically designed for this, called Remote Carriers.
Airbus plays an important part in developing MUM-T for European armed forces. Last year, during a multinational exercise headed by the German military, a live demonstration showed a Eurofighter jet operating with the Airbus Do-DT25 target drones acting as Remote Carriers. This year, similar flight tests were carried out in Rovaniemi and Kemijarvi, Finland, marking the first time they are performed outside of Germany.
During this type of MUM-T flight, the unmanned and manned aircraft must communicate with each other seamlessly. This is why things like advanced data link and artificial intelligence-based algorithms are highly important. Flight tests such as this recent one help advance the development of future Remote Carriers and MUM-T technologies.
On the other hand, Airbus is also working on adapting current manned platforms for future MUM-T capabilities. Its popular multi-role A400M airlifter has been around since 2003, but it will soon gain a new capability, becoming a Remote Carrier launcher, in addition to its already-impressive feature range.
Earlier this year, the A400M successfully demonstrated this capability. It flew with an Airbus-built Do-DT25 drone onboard and successfully launched it during the flight. Throughout the operation, the two stayed connected, with the drone transmitting data to the manned platform via Cloud technology.
Airbus plays an important part in developing MUM-T for European armed forces. Last year, during a multinational exercise headed by the German military, a live demonstration showed a Eurofighter jet operating with the Airbus Do-DT25 target drones acting as Remote Carriers. This year, similar flight tests were carried out in Rovaniemi and Kemijarvi, Finland, marking the first time they are performed outside of Germany.
During this type of MUM-T flight, the unmanned and manned aircraft must communicate with each other seamlessly. This is why things like advanced data link and artificial intelligence-based algorithms are highly important. Flight tests such as this recent one help advance the development of future Remote Carriers and MUM-T technologies.
On the other hand, Airbus is also working on adapting current manned platforms for future MUM-T capabilities. Its popular multi-role A400M airlifter has been around since 2003, but it will soon gain a new capability, becoming a Remote Carrier launcher, in addition to its already-impressive feature range.
Earlier this year, the A400M successfully demonstrated this capability. It flew with an Airbus-built Do-DT25 drone onboard and successfully launched it during the flight. Throughout the operation, the two stayed connected, with the drone transmitting data to the manned platform via Cloud technology.
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