U.K. undecided on UAV purchase

end up foisting upon ourselves more than one platform-potentially bedeviling our support organizations with a requirement to fly two birds for the one job.”

The ministry’s 2008 Unmanned Aerial Systems Capability Investigation identified the acquisition of a medium-altitude, long-endurance (MALE) platform as a priority.

The Dabinett initial gate is four years later than originally planned. Intended at one point for 2006, the 2005 planning round delayed the program; the platform element was moved at this point to 2017 from 2013, thereby affecting the decision points on the program.

Barrie writes that within the Royal Air Force hierarchy, the Predator B and the Mantis each have supporters. Predator B is proving to be a success in Afghanistan, providing a valuable ISR capability and also experience operating a UAV in this class.

Elements of the U.K.’s UAV and unmanned combat air system plans seem to be in a state of flux. A recent Anglo-French summit raised the possibility of closer alignment between London and Paris in this area. Previously, Britain tilted more toward the U.S. in terms of its medium- to long-term ambitions.

Discussing the deep and persistent platform options, Dixon says: “Reaper is one potential candidate to meet that, but there are others-not least we have a research and development program ongoing with BAE Systems on a project called Mantis. So there are choices to make in the end about what we want to do onshore.”

He recognizes, however, that “there is an industrial component to it for sure, and in the end there is a functionality component-there is a range and payload component. There is an issue as well [concerning] whether we want an aircraft that can just operate in unregulated airspace because of the safety case it has-or maybe the potential to try to find an aircraft, and a system, that can operate in more regulated airspace.”

Unlike Predator B, the Mantis is a twin-engine design, currently fitted with turboprop engines. BAE also is looking at turbofan options. Mantis was originally due to fly in the first quarter of 2009, but it has yet to be tested. Ironing out issues that appeared during ground trials is the likely cause of the delay.

“We need to elaborate a choice carefully in the assessment phase,” says Dixon. “So we are not going to put Reaper into the core program now because I don’t want to saddle us with a decision that I might want to unpick in an assessment phase for Dabinett.”

While Predator B and Mantis offer the kind of endurance sought by the ministry, there remains a question of their ability to survive in contested airspace. Neither UAV is particularly stealthy. In the Predator B’s case, this has led to the development of the Predator C Avenger.