Leonardo UK CEO Clive Higgins Discusses CCA Program Potential Amid Funding Concerns
- Published
- Source
- BreakingDefense
Clive Higgins, CEO of Leonardo UK, expressed interest in the UK’s Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) program but raised concerns about current government funding levels. He noted that the £300 million investment outlined in the Defence Investment Plan is insufficient for developing a complete fleet, suggesting it may only cover initial demonstrator work.
Higgins emphasized the importance of understanding the specific requirements of the CCA program to determine how Leonardo can best contribute, particularly in electronic warfare systems. He highlighted the company's ongoing collaboration with the RAF on the StormShroud Autonomous Collaborative Platform, which began operations in May 2025, and the integration of its BriteStorm jammer with Tekever's AR3 aircraft for SEAD missions.
Looking ahead, Higgins mentioned the potential for Leonardo's joint venture with Turkey’s Baykar to secure CCA business under the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP). However, he cautioned that cost considerations and the specific mission requirements will play a crucial role in any future developments related to the CCA initiative.
Original report
Leonardo UK CEO sees potential CCA role, but wary of funding
BreakingDefense · Tim MartinThis briefing is an independently written summary based on publicly available reporting and is provided for industry information and news discovery. The original report and source publication are credited and linked where applicable. RobotToday does not claim ownership of third-party source material.
Rights concerns? Contact [email protected] with the relevant URL and details. We will review the matter and take appropriate action where warranted.
More related news
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 9
- 10
- 11
- 12
Related Suppliers
BAE Systems plc
United Kingdom
London defence prime formed 1999, building uncrewed systems incl. the Herne XLAUV, T-Series heavy-lift drones, PHASA-35 solar HAPS and Brontanax CCA.
Tekever
Portugal
Portugal-based developer of autonomous UAS for maritime surveillance and ISTAR missions; flagship AR5 drone used by NATO and EU border agencies.
Shield AI
United States
US defense AI company building Hivemind — an autonomous AI pilot for military aircraft and drones operating without GPS or comms links.
CX2
United States
El Segundo defense startup building AI-enabled electronic warfare systems: the Wraith Group 2 RF-reconnaissance drone and the Vadris RF-seeker for FPV drones.
TAF Industries
Ukraine
Kyiv-based UAV maker (formerly TAF Drones) producing Kolibri FPV drones, recon UAVs and interceptors; reported 50,000+ FPV drones a month in 2025.
Drones for Hire
Australia
Sydney, Australia drone services marketplace founded 2013; connects clients with 2,800-plus pilots and has logged over 20,000 job posts.
DroneSeed
United States
Drone-based reforestation services using heavy-lift UAV swarms to replant forests after wildfires
General Dynamics Mission Systems, Inc.
United States
US General Dynamics business unit whose Bluefin Robotics line builds Bluefin-9/-12/-21 UUVs and the Knifefish mine countermeasure UUV for the US Navy.
Powerus
United States
Powerus builds US-made heavy-lift VTOL drones and defense mission systems via its Kaizen Aerospace and Tandem Defense subsidiaries.
CRG Defense
United States
Miamisburg, Ohio defense technology company founded 1997 by Pat Hood as Cornerstone Research Group, renamed CRG Defense in 2025; builds unmanned systems.
Kratos Defense & Security Solutions Inc.
United States
Publicly traded American defense technology company manufacturing jet-powered unmanned aerial systems, hypersonic test vehicles, and satellite ground systems.
AV&R Aerospace
Canada
Canadian engineering firm (120+ employees) specializing in aerospace automation, machine vision, and robotic profiling systems. Develops high-precision robotic elliptical profiling systems for turbine blades and vanes for aerospace MRO and new-production applications to improve engine fuel efficiency.
Robotics needs a service framework.
RSF defines a common language for robot service capability, lifecycle operations, certification pathways, and service-provider networks.
Join the RobotToday community on LinkedIn
Daily robotics news, in-depth analysis, conference highlights, and discussions with professionals worldwide.
