Airbus and Boeing Advance Autonomous Military Aircraft at ILA Berlin
Airbus and Boeing unveiled new autonomous military aircraft technologies at ILA Berlin 2026. The announcements underscored sustained military demand for uncrewed multi-mission aircraft that can operate alongside fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters.
Airbus Helicopters introduced the U145, an uncrewed version of its H145 multi-role helicopter. The aircraft has no physical cockpit and has been modified for cargo missions with a dedicated cargo floor, an integrated nose door and a foldable loading table. Airbus said the U145 has a maximum take-off weight of 3,800 kg and a modular design that can support disaster management, firefighting, armed scouting, surveillance, drone mothership operations for air-launched effects with MBDA and crewed-uncrewed teaming.
The U145 will use a specialized sensor suite and artificial intelligence for full autonomy, though Airbus did not detail how those systems will work. Airbus also signed an agreement with Quantum Systems at the show to explore integrating counter-uncrewed aerial systems interceptors into the H145 and other Airbus military helicopters. The company expects the U145 to make its first flight with a safety pilot onboard by the end of 2026, with service entry planned for the beginning of the next decade.
Boeing presented a larger MQ-28 Ghost Bat, a collaborative combat aircraft first developed in 2017 with early program work conducted alongside the Royal Australian Air Force; the new version has a wider wingspan that adds capacity for 2,000 pounds of fuel, stores and mission payloads, with provisions to carry two AMRAAM missiles or four small diameter bombs internally. Boeing also highlighted radar-cross-section testing, Government Reference Architecture compliant software, new beyond-line-of-sight communications links for control from crewed aircraft, ground stations or naval vessels, and a modular missionized nose for payload changes and third-party systems. The unveilings point to a faster shift toward autonomous aircraft that can extend range, carry weapons, move cargo and operate with crewed forces, reshaping how militaries plan future airpower.