‘Build drone jets for war’

EUROPEAN air forces should develop unmanned fighter aircraft, military experts said yesterday.

The Royal United Services Institute warned of the low number of jets to tackle Russian threats.

It feared too few are battle-ready, amid reports of aircraft being mothballed or stripped for parts.

The think tank said: “The fragility of European air forces is a concern.”

Drones are a “potent asset” but their ability to identify targets themselves “would raise ethical issues”.