CA-1 Europa Germany’s UCAV Brings Autonomous Collaborative Combat at Scale to Europe.

German defense tech firm Helsing revealed the CA-1 “Europa,” a three-to-five-ton autonomous UCAV, at its Grob Aircraft site in Bavaria on Sept. 25, 2025. The company targets an operational configuration within four years, signaling Europe’s push for lower-cost, AI-enabled “intelligent mass” to complement crewed fighters.

Helsing confirmed the unveiling of the CA-1 Europa, an autonomous fighter UCAV, at subsidiary Grob Aircraft in Tussenhausen, Germany, on Sept. 25, 2025. The design study pairs Helsing’s Centaur autonomy stack with a high-subsonic, 3–5-ton airframe featuring an internal bay; first flight is eyed around 2027 with operational production in roughly four years. It matters because the platform is built for scalable, rapid-upgrade “intelligent mass” in strike and air-to-air roles, aligning with allied efforts like the USAF’s CCA to field affordable, attritable airpower.
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The Europa is described as high subsonic, with cranked-kite wings, canted vertical tails, side air inlets, and a single turbofan (Picture source: Helsing)

The Europa is described as high subsonic, with cranked-kite wings, canted vertical tails, side air inlets, and a single turbofan. The product sheet lists a length of 11 m, a wingspan of 10 m, and a maximum takeoff weight of 4 t. The software-defined architecture is designed to integrate sensors, self-protection systems, electronic warfare payloads, and effectors, while remaining modular to accept mission kits. The concept is intended for production at scale and operations from improvised locations, with dispersed logistics and short turnarounds.

Survivability and sensing rely on modularity. Europa can carry electronic warfare payloads driven by Cirra to counter adaptive IADS, along with secure data links, jammers, and decoys. The internal bay supports low-observable profiles and the carriage of precision strike munitions or compact air-to-air missiles, with options for reconnaissance or electronic attack payloads. Radar configurations are not specified, but the open architecture is designed to incorporate new sensors, countermeasures, or algorithms quickly.

Software is central to the project. Centaur, a reinforcement learning air combat agent, was demonstrated this year on Gripen E in BVR scenarios. It is paired with Symphony, a mission orchestration platform that coordinates distributed assets and fuses intelligence in real time. Together, these components are intended to allow Europa to operate alone, in support of crewed aircraft, or in swarms.

Operationally, Helsing presents Europa as a multi-mission UCAV delivering affordable mass, capable of deep strike, electronic warfare, reconnaissance, and suppression of enemy defenses. High subsonic speed limits complexity while long-range weapons provide the required kinematics. Typical employment could include penetration to stimulate and map adversary emissions while other aircraft provide outer-area air escort, all under a command-and-control system supplied by Helsing. The design for austere sites aligns with the increase in Europe of dispersed deployment exercises intended to reduce the vulnerability of fixed bases.

The industrial path depends on funding, testing, and certification. Helsing plans a first flight in 2027 and operational availability within the following four years, with investments of several hundred million euros and a network of European partners. The company has not detailed the certified weapons set or unit cost, mentioned as a fraction of a modern fighter.

Europa’s positioning comes as the market for collaborative platforms accelerates. In the United States, the CCA program is progressing, while in Europe, other loyal wingman concepts have been presented to accompany Typhoon or Rafale. Helsing emphasizes a sovereign response, with European software and supply chains intended to reduce reliance on non-European suppliers.

Against the backdrop of the war in Ukraine and the growth of long-range threats, there is increased demand for “intelligent mass” rather than rare, expensive platforms. If the stated milestones are met, the CA-1 Europa could enable a gradual buildup within European air forces in an increasingly competitive UCAV landscape.