Airbus announced that its synthetic aircraft were incorporated into the German Air Force’s Timber Express exercise held during the summer of 2026, enabling Eurofighter and Tornado crews to operate together with virtual allies and computer‑generated threat simulations in a realistic combat environment. The scenario allowed participants to evaluate tactics, test emerging technologies, and maintain operational security while experiencing the dynamics of live‑air combat.
The Airbus System Development Lab (SDL) was linked to the live training environment, inserting synthetic aircraft and simulated threats into the same operational scenario as real units, and Business Developer René Birkholz explained that the SDL functions as a “constructive engine,” integrating simulated assets with live forces to lower airspace expenditure, permit testing of future systems before fielding, and keep sensitive tactics concealed from public scrutiny.
An example highlighted was the U740 Valkyrie unmanned collaborative combat aircraft, expected to enter service by the end of the decade, providing Germany with a sovereign unmanned platform that complements the Eurofighter fleet and supports the broader goal of integrating manned and unmanned capabilities within a networked combat cloud.
These developments reflect Germany’s strategic push to modernize its air power by linking manned fighter aircraft with next‑generation unmanned systems, aiming to sustain air superiority and operational flexibility through a resilient combat cloud architecture.
The integration of synthetic assets into live training not only accelerates technology maturation but also provides a cost‑effective means for the Luftwaffe to rehearse complex scenarios, evaluate data‑link performance, and refine command‑and‑control procedures, thereby strengthening NATO interoperability and overall air domain resilience.
The exercise demonstrates that synthetic training can complement traditional flight operations, offering a scalable platform for testing new weapons, sensors, and network protocols while preserving the confidentiality of operational concepts.
