The UK is extending its tactical unmanned air vehicle (TUAV) studies to consider maritime roles. Contracts were, recently signed by the UK Defence Procurement Agency (DPA) with four teams for the Watchkeeper TUAV which will provide the basis for the maritime UAV.
Alan Baker, DPA TUAV integrated project team leader, says the aim of the Watchkeeper programme is to define a series of capabilities which could be met by a range of UAVs with a variety of sensor payloads.
He says that a user requirements document (URD)is being written for a maritime UAV which will be overlaid on the Watchkeeper URD so that the differences between the two can be considered. If a need can be demonstrated for a ship-capable UAV and the potential users can secure funding, a programme will begin says Baker.
The maritime requirement can be split between the need to support force projection from the sea and amphibious operations - Watchkeeper's URD caters for most of the Royal Marines' needs - as well as a broader range of nautical tasks.
Initially, all ships are being considered as operating platforms, but this may be limited to larger vessels such as aircraft carriers and assault ships, says Baker.
As Watchkeeper is an intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition and reconnaissance asset, it will provide the data to every element of the UK armed forces in joint operations, as well as supplying information to other nations in combined operations, says Baker.
Watchkeeper - the combination of Sender and Spectator units and formation-level UAVs - is also likely to provide a series of common architectures for groundstations and datalinks, says the TUAV team leader.
Teams led by BAE Systems, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman and Thomson Racal Defence were awarded 12 month Watchkeeper study contracts worth £3.5 million ($4.9 million) in September this year.
Source: Flight International
