Project Mosquito Development Contract

The UK Ministry of Defence awarded a £30 million contract to Spirit AeroSystems to lead Team Mosquito in developing a technology demonstrator for the Spirit Mosquito unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV), designed as a 'loyal wingman' to operate alongside manned fighters like the F-35, Typhoon, and Tempest, providing increased protection, survivability, information, and air-to-air combat capabilities. This was part of the Royal Air Force's Lightweight Affordable Novel Combat Aircraft (LANCA) programme to explore affordable uncrewed systems for future force integration. Although the project was cancelled in 2022 before flight trials, it advanced key technologies like composite wing manufacturing for potential use in programmes such as Tempest.

Notes

£30 million contract cancelled in 2022 before demonstrator aircraft was built