LONDON\u00a0\u2014\u00a0The Royal Navy is looking to launch two new unmanned air system (UAS) programs, but is dependent on gaining funding for the projects in an upcoming review of Ministry of Defence spending in 2016 before it can take the projects forward.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“We are trying to kick-off two programs at the moment,” Cmdr. Bow Wheaton , the\u00a0RN\u2019s <\/span>Royal Navy’s\u00a0maritime capability (aviation) program manager told an unmanned air system conference in London earlier this month.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Flexible Deployable UAS (FDUAS) and Joint Mini UAS (JMUAS) programs are on the drawing board ahead of the conclusion of <\/span>before\u00a0the annual MoD budget planning round concludes for the financial year starting next<\/span> in April,\u00a0known here <\/span>as ABC 2016, officials said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “The JMUAS is a capability option pending decision as part of the Joint Forces Command Annual Budget Cycle 2016 (ABC16) planning round. It is too early in the process to state whether this will be funded or not given other defence priorities,” said an MoD spokeswoman.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The spokeswome<\/span>an said the FDUAS program\u00a0was in the same position as JMUAS ahead of the conclusion of <\/span>before\u00a0ABC16 concludes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Earlier this year the British armed services received a better than expected budget settlement from the G<\/span>government for the remainder of the decade, in particular a hike in equipment spending.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But little new money is expected to be available in the early part of the funding cycle, giving the 2016 and 2017 planning rounds tough choices to make; including whether to fund either of the Royal Navy’s drone programs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The British only have one maritime unmanned air system operational, in the shape of <\/span>the contractor-operated Boeing Scan Eagle,\u00a0that is machine-deployed on a Type 23 frigate in the Middle East.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But, Wheaton told the UAS15 conference in London that moves were afoot to improve on the present line-up with two new programs by the end of the decade before considering later looking at <\/span>a larger tactical maritime unmanned air system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “We think of FDUAS as Sea Eagle Plus, as we would rather like to have a better find capability. We are also not writing off the fact the best way of delivering it [the requirement] may be by a family of systems,” said Wheaton.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Boeing showed one possible improved Scan Eagle design at September’s DESI defense show in London in September.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The US company could find itself vying with rivals including <\/span>AgustaWestland,\u00a0Camcopter and Raytheon if the FDUAS requirement gets off the ground.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The program official said the Boeing owned and operated, <\/span>Scan Eagle \u00a0had<\/span> earned plaudits from navy commanders, but the deal expires mid-2017. and a <\/span>Although the service wanted the capability\u00a0handover to be seamless, he <\/span>Wheaton acknowledged\u00a0resource constraints remain a challenge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Wheaton said the program was “all about persistence and all about being complementary” to the manned Merlin and Wild Cat helicopter capability the RN has in service on its warships at the present <\/span>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Aside from the Scan Eagle replacement,\u00a0the Joint Forces Command is also looking at\u00a0a mini-drone program which can be used for a number of roles, including its use by the Royal Marines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n British land forces successfully used Lockheed Martin\u2019s Desert Hawk mini-drone in the Afghanistan campaign against the Taliban. and t <\/span>The system, originally purchased as an urgent operational requirement, has since been taken into the Army\u2019s core equipment program.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But Wheaton said that with the Joint Mini UAS,\u00a0they <\/span>the Royal Navy is were <\/span>looking for something that\u00a0worked better\u00a0in the maritime environment for the Royal Marines and others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “Desert Hawk is great, but as it’s name suggests, it doesn’t work very well in the maritime so we have also identified a clear requirement to get something for a joint capability in the mini [Joint Mini UAS] space,” he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Lockheed Martin refuted the claim that Desert Hawk wasn\u2019t maritime capable,\u00a0particularly the latest 3.1 version, which the British don\u2019t have <\/span>possess. \u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n “With five decades of experience in unmanned systems for air, land and sea, we have a small UAS family of systems which could be suitable for a joint maritime UAS, depending on the capability that is required. We have a number of all environment platforms, including Desert Hawk 3.1, which could be considered as a solution and we look forward to hearing more about the specific requirements,” said a spokeswomen for Lockheed Martin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n