The Dassault nEUROn is an experimental unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV) developed by the French corporation Dassault Aviation in collaboration with other European countries, such as Greece, Italy, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland. It is a step for European manufacturers to advance their expertise in stealth, autonomous flight, and network-centric warfare capabilities for future European combat air systems. The nEUROn is mainly a technology demonstrator, but its development aims to help explore operational concepts for next-generation stealth UCAVs for European militaries. It is the first large-sized stealth UCAV demonstrator made in Europe. [source]
Images Sourced From: Dassault Aviation, Aerolegende
1 History of the Project
The nEURON has its roots in Dassault’s LOGIDUC stealth UCAV program started 1999. It first produced two UAV demonstrators: AVE-D Petit Duc (first stealth UAV in Europe, 2000) and AVE-C Moyen Duc (2001). The third exemplar, initially called “Grand Duc,” later evolved into the nEUROn as Dassault brought in European partners to share costs and technology development. Other companies working on the project include Saab (Sweden), EAB (Greece), RUAG Aerospace (Switzerland), EADS CASA (Spain), and Alenia (Italy). [source, source]
The project was officially announced in 2003. The total development budget was about €405 million, split between France and other European states. The nEUROn saw its maiden flight in December 2012 with continued testing afterwards.In 2016, the nEUROn conducted penetration tests against the French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle to assess its stealth and survivability in contested environments. In December 2022, ten years after its first flight, the nEUROn achieved over 170 flights. [source]
2 Technical Data
The nEUROn comes with a flying notched delta wing with no vertical tail, enhancing stealth and maneuverability. It has an all-composite layer on an aluminum frame. It is powered by a single Rolls Royce Turbomeca Adour MK951 low-bypass turbofan engine producing about 30-40 kN of thrust.
Equipment includes Electro-Optical (EO) and Infra-Red (IR) sensors for autonomous target search, detection, tracking, and recognition. It can perform automated takeoff, landing, and trajectory management. Also, its data link systems allow for secure, interoperable communication with ground control stations and other manned combat aircraft used in NATO air forces such as the Rafale and Gripen. [source, source]
Other known technical specifications are:
- Length: 9,4 m
- Wingspan: 12,4 m
- Cruise speed: Mach 0,9
- Service ceiling: 14.000 m
- Payload: 460kg
- Weight without payload: 4,900 kg
- Weight with payload: 7,000 kg
- Mission endurance: At least 3 hours
- Unit cost: 25 million EUR (approx. 28,3 million USD, May 2025)
The internal weapons bay will allow it to carry precision-guided munitions while maintaining stealth levels. [source]
3 nEUROn’s Goals
The nEUROn design is made for air-to-ground combat missions with a focus on:
- Precision strike capability using precision-guided munitions
- Enhanced battlefield awareness through networked and multi-domain operations
- Reducing risk to human pilots by performing high-risk missions (semi-) autonomously
- Providing a force multiplier effect by coordinating with manned aircraft such as the Rafale fighter jets, serving as a “loyal wingman”
Primarily, nEUROn seeks to demonstrate and validate critical UCAV technologies, including stealth features that reduce radar and infrared signatures, autonomous flight control systems, and the capability to carry and deliver weapons from an internal bay. Additionally, the goal of the program is to foster defense industrial cooperation on an European level, reducing the reliance on foreign suppliers. [source, source, source, source]
The nEUROn aims to enable a platform that can operate in highly contested air spaces, laying the groundwork for future operational European UCAVs that can integrate with networked forces and manned air systems. Through this technology, European countries hope to maintain an edge in future aerial combat scenarios.
3.1 Future of the Project
In October 2024, France announced that it will develop a next-gen stealth UCAV to operate alongside the Rafale F5 fighter jet after 2030. The plans leverage the technological achievements of the Dassault nEUROn, including stealth, autonomous combat capabilities, and “loyal wingman” operations. The program aims to strengthen France’s and Europe’s capabilities in aerial combat and unmanned systems. [source]
The nEUROn also aligns with European defense priorities emphasizing technological sovereignty and network-centric warfare scenarios. It supports the European Defence Agency’s Capability Development Plan by demonstrating intelligence, surveillance, and precision strike capabilities, acting as a precursor for other European UCAVs such as the Eurodrone. Thus, the technologies tested and demonstrated in the nEUROn contribute to a larger field of integrated combat air systems. [source]
4 Conclusion
The Dassault nEUROn is a pioneering project for European countries, enhancing the union’s capabilities in stealth, autonomous flights, and networked technologies. While the UCAV may not be deployed as-is, it significantly increased European industrial cooperation and laid down a base for future European UCAVs. As Europe is increasingly interested to assert strategic autonomy in defense when its relationship with the United States is uncertain, projects like the nEUROn are key to enhance Europe’s military capabilities.
