UK MoD selects ScanEagle UAV for Royal Navy
The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) has signed a £30 million contract that will see the Insitu ScanEagle become the first maritime specific unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) to operate in support of the Royal Navy.
The ScanEagle UAV will be deployed from Royal Navy and Royal Fleet Auxillary ships to provide aerial intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities, complementing the existing helicopter and long range radar assets currently performing this role.
The unarmed aircraft, which has a wingspan of just over three meters and weighs 22kg, is launched by a pneumatic catapult. It can fly at speeds of up to 60 knots, and is commanded by a specialist team on board the ship who can plan the aircraft’s missions, control its flight and monitor and analyse the information gathered by the onboard sensor payload. At the end of its flight, the ScanEagle is recovered back to the ship.
Royal Navy Captain, Ian Annett, said: ‘ScanEagle represents an important addition to the Royal Navy’s ISR capability. Its ability to deploy during the day and night coupled with the technology it uses, will give Commanders a clearer picture of the operational situation whenever it’s required.’
Philip Dunne, Minister for Defence, Equipment, Support and Technology, said: ‘ScanEagle provides the Royal Navy with proven surveillance capability that has already been used on operations by other nations, so we know we are getting top quality equipment. The technology is off-the-shelf and will be available to the Royal Navy as soon as possible.
‘Our continued investment in ISR systems is essential to keeping our armed forces up to date with the latest capabilities and this will be a central part of the MoD's investment in new equipment over the next 10 years.’
More from Uncrewed Vehicles
-
Red Cat looks to partnerships to expand Teal 2’s wings
Teal 2 UAV producer Red Cat has unveiled its strategic partnerships and advancements in drone technology in anticipation of the US Army’s decision on the Short-Range Reconnaissance (SRR) programme.
-
How Russia is ramping up efforts to counter drones in Ukraine
Russian forces in Ukraine have been employing multifaceted strategies to counteract drones, as a past reliance on large-scale electronic warfare has shifted towards diverse, localised countermeasures.
-
US Navy foresees an uncrewed future for its surface and underwater fleet
The service has been conducting various procurement and development efforts to integrate unmanned surface and underwater vehicles into its inventory.
-
Tekever unveils new swarm-controlling UAS
Tekever has manufactured the AR3, AR4 and AR5 UAS with all systems sharing common electronics and software architecture, which has enabled the reuse of ground segment elements within the new ARX UAS.
-
Ready for the race: Air separation drone swarms vs. air defence systems
As the dynamics of aerial combat rapidly evolve, Chinese scientists have engineered a sophisticated air separation drone model that can fragment into up to six drones, each capable of executing distinct battlefield roles and challenging the efficacy of current anti-drone defences such as the UK’s Dragonfire laser system.
-
Israel’s MALE UAVs ‘must adapt’ to Iranian-made air defences
Advancements in air defence technologies have begun to reshape aerial combat dynamics in the Middle East, as illustrated by recent events involving the Israeli Air Force and Hezbollah.