The German defense company Helsing presented CA-1 Europa, a new autonomous drone designed for mass production and use by European air forces.
The model, revealed in the subsidiary Grob Aircraft, brings an unprecedented concept of unmanned aviation and should perform its first flight in 2027, expected to be operational in up to four years later. The initiative reinforces the continent’s efforts to gain greater technological independence in the defense sector.
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With size between three and five tons, the CA-1 Europa will have a modular design, internal weapons compartment and capacity for various missions such as accuracy attack, electronic war, recognition and swarm operations. The drone will also feature the virtual pilot Centaur, already tested on flights with the Gripen and Saab fighter, as well as the Cirra artificial intelligence systems, aimed at the Electronic War, and Symphony, to coordinate autonomous missions.
Helsing bets on reduced costs compared to modern fighters and points out that the project was designed to minimize dependence on external suppliers, prioritizing European productive chains and software.
Development follows the overall expansion trend of unmanned combat systems and responds to the growing demand for military drones in Europe, especially after the war in Ukraine.
Source: The Aviationist | Photo: x @helsinga | This content was created with the help of AI and revised by the editorial team
Introducing CA-1 Europa, our upcoming autonomous combat aircraft built around the Centaur AI pilot. We are building CA-1 to protect our continent, our freedom, and our values.
Link in thread below. pic.twitter.com/t9LLfoLOFP
– Helsing (@helsingai) September 25, 2025
