Anglo French Future Combat Air System Timeline and Missions

The Future Combat Air System (FCAS) is a joint development program between the U.K. and France that aims to field an unmanned combat air vehicle (UCAV) by 2030.

Both London and Paris face the same pressing need for a new combat aircraft in the 2030 timeframe, with the U.K. planning to retire its Typhoons and France removing early-model Rafales and upgraded Mirage 2000s from its inventory. Cooperation to develop a joint UCAV began with the 2010 Lancaster House Accords between the two governments. Since then, both nations have made separate advances in their own stealthy
UCAV programs. The six-nation, French-led, UCAS demonstrator nEUROn achieved first flight in December 2012. Led by Dassault Aviation and the French arms procurement agency DGA, the €405-million stealthy UCAS demonstrator is now nearing the end of its two-year trial. BAE Systems’ £185 million ($300 million) Taranis program conducted its first flight in August 2013. The first trials were partly used to verify a conformal flight data system developed for the aircraft. Low-observable trials followed in Australia during late 2013 and early 2014.

Five missions are seen as a top priority for the eventual system: suppression and destruction of enemy air defenses (SEAD/DEAD), airfield attack, strategic target strike and air interdiction in a contested environment. The U.K. has added the ability to carry out an armed reconnaissance mission. Other missions given a lower priority are anti-ship, close air support and defensive counter-air.

link (warning, pdf).