BERLIN — Centre stage at last week’s Berlin airshow was the “wingman” drone, Europe’s latest-generation defence ‌weapon designed to accompany fighter jets.

As the war in Ukraine in particular has underscored the growing ​importance of drones and electronic warfare, European and US defence forces are rapidly developing their own AI-powered drones to complement their fighter jets and carry extra sensors, jammers and weapons.

In Berlin, four companies – Airbus, Boeing, Helsing and General Atomics – were looking to ​tout their latest designs of the technology to Germany’s military and beyond.

Wingman drones, sometimes referred to as wingman aircraft, are known as collaborative combat aircraft (CCA) and range in size from small interceptors to being as big as planes. They fly in what is known as a “loyal wingman” system as they flank manned aircraft.

Investment in the technology comes as Europe faces a debate over the value ‌of building its own sovereign defence industry and reducing reliance on the United States.

“The AI agent, of ⁠course, the brain of these systems, needs to be ⁠controlled in a sovereign fashion,” Stephanie Lingemann, head of air domain at ⁠German defence startup Helsing, told Reuters at ⁠the airshow.

Germany and France ⁠this month shelved plans for a joint fighter jet but are now looking to salvage parts of the Future Combat Air System programme by developing a related drone system and data network.