Manned-Unmanned Teaming | Unmanned Aerial Systems

Manned and unmanned in seamless collaboration

Manned-Unmanned Teaming (MUM-T) is the operation of manned and unmanned assets in concert towards a shared mission objective. It is one of the key innovations that will pave the way to future air power. Smart, connected and modular unmanned systems connected by a distributed network of intelligence will act as force multipliers for the crewed aircraft, enhancing the team’s capabilities and keeping the pilot out of harm’s way, while still in control.

MUM-T is a critical enabler for Remote Carriers, one of the pillars of the Future Combat Air System (FCAS). The complex future air combat environment will require unmanned aircraft to be deployed alongside fighter jets. Remote Carriers will be designed specifically to fulfil that role.

Remote Carriers - the combat sidekick

Remote Carriers will be able to act as remote sensors, carrying a wide range of payloads suitable for ISTAR missions. Other versions will have the capabilities to directly engage threats – both kinetically and non-kinetically (e.g. through electronic attack). The Remote Carriers will be modular, meaning a selected payload can be chosen in accordance with the mission planned and required capabilities, effectively rendering them multi-mission air combat assets.

Applications for a wide range of missions

The applications of teaming go beyond air combat. Through Airbus-led large-scale flight demonstration of various types of piloted assets, such as mission aircraft and helicopters, and pilotless assets, MUM-T will bring benefit to a wider range of missions, covering search and rescue, maritime surveillance and border protection. Sensors installed on unmanned aircraft will improve the coverage of manned platforms, adding to mission efficiency and effectiveness.

Teaming at Airbus builds on past demonstrations

Airbus has shown in multiple demonstrations its capability and ambitions to control unmanned systems from manned systems in its vision for smart, modular and connected air power.

From 2018, we began to demonstrate such capabilities using our in-house modified Do-DT25 target drones. 2022 saw the launch and operation of a remote carrier flight test demonstrator from an A400M aircraft, marking a major step toward integrating unmanned systems into the Future Combat Air System (FCAS).

In Europe's first large-scale multi-domain flight demonstration led by Airbus, two fighter jets, a helicopter and five unmanned remote carriers successfully collaborated on a real-life-inspired mission. The demonstration, conducted in Finland, used a meshed compact airborne data link (CANDL) to seamlessly connect the aircraft and drones, showcasing advanced manned-unmanned teaming capabilities.

In the EU-funded MUSHER project, Airbus proved with its partners that manned helicopters and UAS from different companies and different countries, operating in different areas, could be integrated into a single MUM-T system.

Through an automated, unmanned wide area surveillance demonstration conducted with our partners, Primoco One150 and Helsing, Airbus has also shown that teaming can be applied to ISR with third party unmanned assets and be brought to the market much more quickly.

Advantages of Manned-Unmanned Teaming

Decreasing risk - Unmanned platforms will take over the riskiest tasks, increasing pilot safety
Force multiplier - Multiplying piloted asset’s capabilities with Remote Carriers flying alongside manned aircraft
Pillar for the future - key to the Future Combat Air System, synergising the best of manned and unmanned