Britain to pair F-35B fighters with jet-powered drones under Project VANQUISH in nearly £240 million carrier aviation push

Britain plans early trials pairing F-35B fighters with jet-powered uncrewed aircraft under Project VANQUISH, part of the broader Project PANTHEON effort to create a hybrid carrier air wing. Nearly £240 million is assigned to PANTHEON and related autonomous systems, rather than to a disclosed production order for a specific drone. Envisaged missions include strike, surveillance, air defence and electronic attack from land bases or Queen Elizabeth-class carriers. Suppliers, aircraft numbers and an operational date remain unspecified, while a separate £300 million collaborative combat aircraft programme targets a flying demonstrator by 2030.