Meet Europe's 1st fully autonomous fighter jet
Say hello to the CA-1 Europa, a next-gen autonomous fighter just revealed by Germany's Helsing.
Built with Grob Aircraft and other European partners, this jet—designed in the three-to-five ton class—aims to provide European air forces with smarter, more affordable airpower.
Its first flight is planned for 2027, with full deployment expected by 2029.
The CA-1 Europa in detail
CA-1 Europa stretches 36 feet long with a 33-foot wingspan. Designed for stealth, it sports cranked-kite wings and sawtooth exhausts.
The modular payload bay lets it handle different missions easily.
Onboard, Helsing's Centaur AI pilot stack uses advanced machine learning for autonomous combat moves, backed up by the Cirra electronic warfare suite.
The jet's purpose and its significance for Europe
This jet isn't here to replace pilots—it's meant to team up with crewed fighters or fly in swarms on its own.
Made for mass production and rough runways, it boosts Europe's defense flexibility while keeping tech control local.
Helsing highlights how important it is for Europe to stay in charge of its future combat tech—no strings attached.