Defense technology company Anduril has revealed a new uncrewed aircraft called Thunder, which it describes as an attack helicopter and "loyal wingman" drone, according to DefenseScoop.
The term "loyal wingman" refers to a robotic aircraft designed to fly alongside crewed aircraft, taking on tasks like scouting ahead, carrying extra weapons, or absorbing risk that would otherwise fall to human pilots. In this case, Anduril is positioning Thunder to team up with helicopters rather than fixed-wing jets.
According to DefenseScoop, Anduril believes Thunder could serve as a loyal wingman platform for the U.S. Army's helicopter fleet. That includes the AH-64 Apache, the Army's long-serving attack helicopter, as well as the next-generation MV-75 Cheyenne II, an aircraft the Army is developing to replace part of its rotorcraft fleet.
The pairing suggests a vision in which a single human crew could direct one or more drones during a mission, extending how far the team can see and how much firepower it can bring while keeping people farther from danger.
Why it matters: militaries around the world are increasingly betting that crewed aircraft flying with uncrewed partners will define the next era of air combat, and Thunder signals that this push is now expanding from fighter jets into the Army's helicopter force.