MBDA Remote Carrier Compact

History

The Remote Carrier Compact (RC) was conceived by MBDA as a key component of the Next Generation Weapon System (NGWS), the weapons element of the Franco-German-Spanish Future Combat Air System (FCAS) programme. MBDA presented the concept, then called the Expendable Remote Carrier, at the Paris Air Show in June 2023. Development of the demonstrator was carried out by MBDA France and MBDA Germany in cooperation with Spain's SATNUS consortium.

Preparatory work included completion of the demonstrator's design, production of several representative mock-ups, and development of a digital twin of the vehicle. Ground testing encompassed subsystem tests, integration and structural-integrity verification using mock-ups, and wind-tunnel trials. Simulation work was used to validate the digital models and initial algorithms and to demonstrate performance across a variety of scenarios.

During the first half of 2026, MBDA presented the results at technical meetings in Spain, France, and Germany, gathering feedback from customer representatives including air-force pilots from all three nations. In summer 2026, France, Germany, and Spain formally approved the preliminary design review of the RC demonstrator.

The FCAS fighter component was terminated in June 2026 following an industrial dispute between Airbus and Dassault Aviation over leadership and workshare on the manned New Generation Fighter. In September 2026, the German government confirmed that the NGWS programme was expiring under its existing contracts and that an early conclusion of the fighter portion was under negotiation. MBDA stated that while the initial NGWS contractual framework is concluding, the company remains fully committed to the operational future of the Remote Carrier Compact.

Design

The Remote Carrier Compact is a collaborative combat drone intended to operate alongside manned aircraft. MBDA describes it as a new generation of collaborative combat drone that is agile, versatile, and cost-effective. The vehicle's external configuration resembles that of a cruise missile. Its intended mission set includes escort of manned platforms, reconnaissance, and direct engagement of high-value targets.

The demonstrator is designed for multi-platform launch. Illustrations released by MBDA show the vehicle being launched from a FREMM-class frigate and from the rear ramp of an Airbus A400M military transport aircraft. One depiction shows four RC vehicles operating in formation alongside a tactical transport, indicating a capability for networked or swarm operations.

Program status

Following approval of the preliminary design review in 2026, MBDA is working toward a first flight of the RC demonstrator in 2029. The target date has remained unchanged since the concept was unveiled in 2023. As the NGWS contractual framework concludes at the end of 2026, the long-term funding and production arrangement for the demonstrator and subsequent flight testing has not yet been publicly defined.