Amid the hum of machinery and the flicker of welding torches in a hangar in west Wales, the future of air combat is being assembled, piece by electronic piece.
It's a drone called StormShroud, and it’s the Royal Air Force’s (RAF) most ambitious leap into the era of autonomous warfare. The UK’s newest uncrewed aircraft system (UAS), introduced into operational service on Friday, and marked a revolutionary turn in how battles will be fought, and won.
Sleek, compact, and unmanned, StormShroud is not a roaring fighter jet. But behind its modest frame lies a powerful promise: to blind enemy radars and shield crewed aircraft like the F-35B Lightning and the Typhoon from harm.
It is the first of the RAF’s Autonomous Collaborative Platforms (ACPs), a new class of drone built not to replace pilots, but to fight beside them.
StormShroud’s design is rooted in real battlefield experience. Lessons from the ongoing conflict in Ukraine have shaped its evolution. “UAS have revolutionised modern warfighting, both offensively and defensively, as recent conflicts ranging from Ukraine to the Middle East have shown,” the RAF noted.
Its platform, the Tekever AR3, already boasts more than 10,000 hours of flight time in Ukraine, while its BriteStorm electronic warfare payload, developed by Leonardo UK, adds the real sting. With long-range radar jamming capabilities, StormShroud scrambles enemy Integrated Air Defence Systems (IADS), making high-risk zones navigable once more.
“In revolutionary new tactics, the drones support aircraft like Typhoon and F35 Lightning, by confusing enemy radars and allowing combat aircraft to attack targets unseen,” the RAF said. “This means for the first time, the RAF will benefit from high-end electronic warfare without needing crew to man it.”
The delivery of StormShroud is a shift in military doctrine. “The ACP Strategy is clear that the best way to optimise our strength against increasingly sophisticated adversaries is through a blend of crewed and uncrewed autonomous platforms operating together,” said the RAF. \
The shift promises a reduction in risk to human life.
StormShroud was delivered a year after its Urgent Capability Requirement (UCR) was endorsed, with teams across the RAF’s Rapid Capabilities Office, Defence Science and Technology Laboratories (DSTL), DE&S Catalyst, and UK industry working in tandem.
“Avoiding excessive time and cost penalties,” the RAF said, has been central to StormShroud’s accelerated entry into service.
The aircraft will be operated by 216 Squadron, a unit reimagined for the autonomous age. Here, regular RAF personnel work alongside the Royal Auxiliary Air Force (RAuxAF), trained for high-threat deployments and swift operations in small, agile teams.
“RAuxAF personnel are an essential part of 216 Squadron,” reads the statement, “supporting activities such as launch and recovery of StormShroud as well as the critical liaison and integration with RAF F-35B Lightning and Typhoon FGR4 squadrons.”
Behind the military muscle is a surge of domestic industrial firepower. With an initial £19 million investment, StormShroud is already fuelling 200 skilled jobs across West Wales, Southampton, and Somerset.
British-Portuguese drone manufacturer Tekever plans to invest £400 million over the next five years, promising up to 1,000 new jobs.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer, visiting a Leonardo UK site in the South East, underlined the significance: “Investment in our defence is an investment in this country’s future. Putting money behind our Armed Forces and defence industry is safeguarding our economic and national security by putting money back in the pockets of hard-working British people.”
Starmer, seeking to shore up the UK’s global role in the wake of post-Brexit recalibrations, added, “Together with our allies, this government is taking the bold action needed to stand up to Putin and ruthlessly protect UK and European security.”
StormShroud arrives at a moment when the UK is redefining its defence strategy. The Carrier Strike Group, spearheaded by HMS Prince of Wales, launched its eight-month global deployment just last week. With stops across the Indo-Pacific, it signals a more assertive posture in an increasingly fragmented world order.
And while the geopolitics swirl, StormShroud remains grounded, figuratively at least, in the reality of today’s threats. “In a world of increasing threat to the UK and our NATO allies, StormShroud will serve as a powerful deterrent to potential aggressors,” the RAF affirms.
As Britain ramps up to spend 2.5 per cent of GDP on defence by 2027, StormShroud offers a glimpse into a new military order, one that’s not only automated but collaborative.