In the face of current upheavals in the post–Cold War global order, emerging and disruptive technologies (EDT) are at the forefront of strategic debates. According to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), they encompass a wide range of domains, from artificial intelligence (AI) to hypersonic systems and quantum technologies (NATO, 2022; 2025). In this article, we focus on remote carriers, a complex system integrating several emerging and disruptive technologies (propulsion, navigation, communication, sensing and signal processing, etc.) that may open new opportunities for armed forces.

While remote carriers are still in the conceptual phase, two parameters already appear stabilized. The first concerns their design: they are unmanned aerial vehicles with capabilities—especially maneuverability—comparable to those of a fighter jet, or, in a lighter and expendable version, a cruise missile. The second relates to their integration within the digitized battlefield. In this regard, remote carriers are closely linked to the principles of collaborative combat, extended to the joint level, and form part of the Future Combat Air System (FCAS; Gaillard, 2024). However, collaborative combat cannot be reduced to its technological dimension alone: it also requires an organizational perspective to ensure interoperability between human and robotic forces.

In this context, emerging and disruptive technologies within complex systems are likely to play a strategic role. Their rapid development and promising potential raise strong expectations in terms of performance, but also questions regarding the conditions of use necessary for their full effectiveness (Godé, 2022).