MBDA Deutschland has unveiled its SHARCS (Smart Highly Autonomous Remote Carrier System), a modular drone concept designed to support deep strike operations and act as a versatile remote carrier within the Future Combat Air System (FCAS) framework. As European defense primes race to develop next-generation air combat capabilities, SHARCS represents a critical step toward distributed lethality and networked warfare.
SHARCS Concept Overview: A Modular Approach to Unmanned Combat
SHARCS is envisioned as a highly modular unmanned aerial platform capable of executing a range of missions—from electronic warfare (EW) and reconnaissance to kinetic strikes—depending on its payload configuration. The system is being developed by MBDA Deutschland in collaboration with partners across the European defense ecosystem as part of broader efforts to operationalize remote carrier concepts under the FCAS program led by France, Germany, and Spain.
The drone’s modularity centers on a standardized fuselage that can be outfitted with interchangeable mission modules. These may include:
- Electronic attack or jamming payloads
- Electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) or radar-based ISR sensors
- Kinetic effectors such as precision-guided munitions
- Decoy or signature-masking systems for SEAD/DEAD roles
This flexible architecture enables SHARCS to serve as both an expendable asset in high-risk environments and a reusable platform for persistent surveillance or standoff strike support.
Designed for FCAS Integration and Manned-Unmanned Teaming
The SHARCS platform is being optimized for seamless integration into the Future Combat Air System’s “System-of-Systems” architecture. This includes interoperability with manned fighter aircraft such as the planned NGF (Next Generation Fighter), other unmanned platforms (loyal wingmen), ground-based C2 nodes, and space-based ISR assets.
A key design goal is enabling manned-unmanned teaming (MUM-T), where SHARCS drones can autonomously execute tasks delegated by human pilots or AI battle managers. This includes acting as forward scouts for target identification or jammers that suppress enemy air defenses ahead of crewed aircraft formations.
The system will likely rely on secure multi-band datalinks compatible with NATO standards such as Link-16 or future waveform protocols under development within the FCAS program. Low-observable shaping also suggests some degree of radar cross-section reduction for survivability in contested airspace.
Flight Testing Timeline and Development Status
As of early 2025 reporting from MBDA sources at ILA Berlin Air Show 2024 and subsequent disclosures during Eurosatory 2024, SHARCS remains in advanced concept development phase. However, wind tunnel testing has been completed on multiple configurations—including swept-wing variants optimized for high subsonic cruise—and component-level subsystem integration is underway.
A demonstrator flight test campaign is expected no earlier than late 2026 under German MoD funding channels aligned with FCAS Phase 1B activities. The Bundeswehr has expressed interest in leveraging SHARCS not only within FCAS but also as part of its national stand-in jamming and ISR modernization efforts under the Luftwaffe’s “Luftkampf der Zukunft” roadmap.
Strategic Role in Distributed Lethality and Penetrating Strike Missions
The emergence of systems like SHARCS reflects a broader doctrinal shift toward distributed lethality—disaggregating firepower across multiple networked platforms to complicate adversary targeting cycles. In this context, remote carriers like SHARCS could saturate enemy integrated air defense systems (IADS) with decoys or electronic effects while delivering precision-guided munitions from standoff ranges.
This approach mirrors U.S., Australian, and Japanese investments in loyal wingman-type drones such as Boeing MQ-28 Ghost Bat or Kratos XQ-58A Valkyrie. However, Europe’s emphasis on modularity may offer greater adaptability across mission sets without requiring entirely new airframes per role.
If successfully fielded by the early 2030s alongside NGF fighters equipped with AI-enabled battle management systems, SHARCS could form an integral part of Europe’s high-end deterrence posture against peer threats—particularly in contested regions like Eastern Europe or maritime chokepoints where anti-access/area denial (A2/AD) environments are proliferating.
Industry Collaboration and Funding Outlook
MBDA Deutschland leads development but coordinates closely with Airbus Defence & Space (NGF prime contractor), Hensoldt (sensor payloads), ESG Elektroniksystem- und Logistik-GmbH (mission systems), and various SMEs contributing propulsion subsystems or stealth coatings. The program benefits from German national R&D funding under BAAINBw oversight while aligning with trinational FCAS timelines set by OCCAr-EA.
The European Defence Fund (EDF) may also provide co-financing via upcoming calls focused on collaborative drone technologies. Additionally, NATO DIANA accelerator programs have shown interest in dual-use autonomy algorithms applicable to remote carrier control architectures like those envisioned for SHARCS.
Conclusion: A Key Enabler for European Airpower Autonomy
The SHARCS drone concept embodies Europe’s ambition to field sovereign deep strike capabilities independent of U.S.-led enablers while remaining interoperable within NATO frameworks. Its modular design philosophy allows adaptation across threat environments—from Baltic SEAD scenarios to Mediterranean maritime ISR patrols—while supporting scalable manned-unmanned teaming paradigms central to sixth-generation air combat doctrines.
If development milestones are met over the next five years—and industrial synergies across MBDA’s multinational footprint are sustained—SHARCS could become one of Europe’s most versatile unmanned force multipliers by the early 2030s.
