Airbus Helicopters demonstrates manned-unmanned teaming system in EU-funded project

Airbus Helicopters, alongside its partners, has successfully completed a full-scale demonstration of a manned-unmanned teaming (MUM-T) system as part of the EU-funded MUSHER project. The demonstration, held between September 30 and October 9, took place across France and Italy and featured multiple manned helicopters and unmanned aerial systems (UAS) operating within a single MUM-T network.

“Manned-unmanned teaming offers valuable mission capabilities, such as enhanced situational awareness, with UAS sharing live video to aid decision-making, all while preserving critical assets,” said Bruno Even, CEO of Airbus Helicopters. “The success of the MUSHER demonstration is a significant step towards our goal of fielding MUM-T capabilities by uniting European expertise for the benefit of both military and civilian customers.”

Airbus led the demonstration using its H130 FlightLab as the manned platform and the VSR700 UAS on a DGA test range. Leonardo contributed with a helicopter and an optionally piloted vehicle, while Thales, the MUSHER project coordinator, provided the supervision and mission debriefing stations. Space Applications Services managed mission preparation, Indra handled simulation activities, and ONERA conducted crew workload studies.

The demonstration featured multiple scenarios involving simultaneous flights across France and Italy, with missions based on operational concepts defined by the defence ministries of France, Italy, and Spain. In one anti-piracy scenario, the UAS initially carried out surveillance and, upon identifying suspicious activity on a boat, the manned helicopter took control of the UAS to prepare for intervention.

The in-flight tests demonstrated various levels of interoperability (LOI) from 2 to 4. These ranged from manned helicopters and ground stations receiving UAS data, to full control of the UAS from the helicopters. The tests also validated that manned helicopters and UAS from different companies and countries, operating in different locations, could be integrated into a single MUM-T system.

MUSHER, part of the European Defence Industrial Development Programme (EDIDP), was launched by the European Commission in December 2021. The project aims to develop a robust European MUM-T system capable of operating in military, civil, or mixed environments, while reducing crew workload and maximising operational capacity.