Aircraft Carriers: Unmanned Air Systems
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the Defence Investment Plan, published on 30 June 2026, paragraph 51, which autonomous rotorcraft are planned to be included within the Hybrid Carrier Air Wing.
Answered by Luke Pollard
The Defence Investment Plan does not identify specific autonomous rotorcraft platforms for inclusion in the Hybrid Air Wing; that is the role of the PANTHEON programme, which will deliver a range of Vertical/Short Take-Off and Landing Autonomous Collaborative Platforms for use in the maritime domain.
The Defence Investment Plan allocated almost £220 million over the next four years to enable PANTHEON to service a range of effects, to include intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, strike and logistics lift, which will augment and where possible, replace effects currently delivered by crewed helicopters.
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