British Rolls-Royce announced work on new engine family for unmanned fighters, so-called loyal wingmen. Project is implemented on Germany's order.
Company CEO Tufan Erginbilgiç reported this during summing up Rolls-Royce activity results for first half of 2026. As Hartpunkt publication notes, although British company provided no additional data, previously German Defense Ministry spoke about need for engine with thrust in range of 20-30 kN.
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Also forecasted is that significant participation in this project will be taken by German Rolls-Royce division, which already implemented capability of designing, developing and manufacturing Pearl engine family for business jets.
Defense Express notes thrust of 20-30 kN, in case of using single engine, enables confidently designing subsonic unmanned fighter with maximum takeoff mass of 3-6 tons, depending on desired thrust-to-weight ratio.
Also this confirms German intention to buy ready MQ-28 Ghost Bat from Boeing was put on pause. In connection with which, worth adding that in 2025 German Helsing and Grob revealed they conduct work on CA-1 Europa unmanned fighter with maximum takeoff weight of 4 tons.
At same time, in Britain BAE Systems works on Brontanax unmanned fighter, which most likely will also fly with Rolls-Royce engine. But uniting works will hardly succeed, as Brontanax has announced empty weight of 4.5 tons, meaning maximum takeoff will be around 8-9 tons.
Also cooperation between German Defense Ministry and Rolls-Royce can be considered as one of possible vectors for solving another problem. After collapse of joint French-German-Spanish sixth-generation FCAS fighter development, Paris carried out its biggest threat and left Berlin without engine for any other fighter project.
Currently it is not yet known where exactly Berlin will move in question of finding sixth-generation fighter. But fact that Germans may go specifically to Rolls-Royce, which creates engine for British-Italian-Japanese sixth-generation Tempest fighter, looked logical. Because only alternative is turning to U.S.
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