Sun, Jun 23, 2013
UK Warships Are To Benefit From A New UAV Surveillance Aircraft
ScanEagle is a maritime reconnaissance asset that can be launched off the back of Royal Navy and Royal Fleet Auxiliary ships day or night to gather intelligence and survey the wider area of operations. Built by Insitu, a subsidiary of Boeing Defense UK Limited, the ScanEagle is the first maritime-specific unmanned air system capability to be delivered in support of naval operations. It will complement the existing intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance assets used on operations such as helicopters and long-range radar.
The unarmed aircraft, which has a wingspan of just over nine feet and weighs 48.5 pounds, is launched from ships into the sky by a pneumatic catapult. Flying at about 60 knots, it is commanded by a specialist team on board the ship who will plan the ScanEagle’s missions, control its flights and monitor and analyze the information it gathers using its state-of-the-art sensors. At the end of its flight, the ScanEagle is recovered back to the ship.
“ScanEagle represents an important addition to the Royal Navy’s intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capability," said Royal Navy Captain Ian Annett, who’s been involved with the project. "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.”
“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," said Minister for Defense Equipment, Support and Technology Philip Dunne. "The technology is off-the-shelf and will be available to the Royal Navy as soon as possible. Our continued investment in intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance systems is essential to keeping our Armed Forces up-to-date with the latest capabilities and this will be a central part of MOD’s investment in new equipment over the next 10 years.”
The U.K. Ministry of Defense entered into a contract worth some $46 million for the aircraft.
(Image provided by the U.K. MoD.)
More News
Touchdown Zone Lighting Two rows of transverse light bars located symmetrically about the runway centerline normally at 100 foot intervals. The basic system extends 3,000 feet alon>[...]
“Discovery and innovation are central to our mission at Virgin Galactic. We’re excited to build on our successful record of facilitating scientific experiments in subor>[...]
"We are reaching out to you today on behalf of the Popular Rotorcraft Association because we need your help. We are dangerously close to losing a critical resource that if lost, wi>[...]
UAS Traffic Management (UTM) The unmanned aircraft traffic management ecosystem that will allow multiple low altitude BVLOS operations and which is separate from, but complementary>[...]
Aero Linx: Society of Aviation and Flight Educators (SAFE) SAFE is a member-oriented organization of aviation educators fostering professionalism and excellence in aviation through>[...]