At the recent DSEI 2023, Leonardo, in collaboration with the Ministry of Defence (MOD), showcased a new cutting-edge drone concept.
The technology demonstrator, dubbed as ‘Proteus’ by the British Armed Forces, is a part of the Rotary Wing Uncrewed Air System (RWUAS) Technology Demonstrator Programme (TDP) and is designed to signify “conceptual maturity”.
This multi-role design, which sports a single-main rotor concept, represents the 2-3t technology demonstrator. Leonardo’s joint efforts with the DE&S Future Capabilities Group and the Royal Navy is directed towards a “digital, collaborative future for uncrewed technologies”.
“As part of phase 3a of the RWUAS CCD Phase 3 TDP, awarded in July 2022 by the UK MOD Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S) Future Capability Group (FCG), a design which highlights conceptual maturity for uncrewed VTOL and modularity has been finalised,” the press release said.
The integrated team approach adopted by Leonardo and the MOD employs agile principles, aiming for “a results-driven project”. This technology demonstrator is set to offer rapid role alterations for various frontline commands, promising flexibility for embarked operations.
James Gavin, the head of the Future Capability Group at Defence Equipment and Support, emphasized the project’s cooperative nature, saying: “Key to this project’s success is the close collaboration between the Royal Navy, DE&S’s Future Capability Group and Leonardo’s team.”
On the same note, Adam Clarke, Managing Director of Leonardo Helicopters UK, stated, “The RWUAS TDP is unique because it is much more than the technology – it’s about the teamwork and integration that is taking place between us and the UK MOD.”
Designed with maritime operations in mind, this single-engine RWUAS air vehicle, in the 2-3t class, promises adaptability for a variety of roles including maritime surveillance and logistics supply.
Lastly, the Proteus TDP is set to influence the Royal Navy’s vision for its Future Maritime Aviation Force, with expectations of its first flight to be around the middle of this decade.
You can see the role Proteus will play in the diagram below.
Yet another concept, that will go down well here lol. I did say a 18mths to two years ago here before the Ukraine War, when Westland was seen as expendable by some that it was important to keep its expertise, design team and production facilities active and a going concern because of the impending introduction of specialist drone platforms which it uniquely in this Country in various categories at least could devise and produce. Little did I know back then just how important that argument would become and just how quickly drone technology generally would (sorry) take off and become crucial assets. It’s important this Country gets on top of this broadly based opportunity it offers massive opportunities for all manner of suppliers to expand their capabilities. Westland/Leonardo will likely be a crucial part of that as time passes.
Agree, although the lightweight drones can come from off the shelf commercially available stuff like s100 p, developing a sovereign heavyweight drone capability is really important stuff as is sovereign rotor design and manufacturing.
GMTU Jonathan. Also, it would be nice if Westland could re-establish a financial stake in the UK arm. It gives a certain degree of clout and insurance for the future.
Dont think it was mentioned last week but Taiwan has signed the outline agreement for the purchase of 160 of the LMM carrying Jackal drones from Flyby Technologies which would be assembled in the UK as the company has bought the manufacturing and export rights from Fly BVLOS the original Turkish drone designer.
It’s very good news and a nice order for flyby and Thales…what’s a bit sad is this UK built and armed drone sponcered by the RAF has not even been ordered by the MOD, The RAF and army really need a proper order of drones if they are going to actually start getting them into front line service…they need to be integrating these into combined arms now…not fannying around with a trial here and their…they need large number to be practicing.
Jackal’s maiden flight was in April 2022, and it’s had a very fast progression from a Turkish lightweight electric drone capable of carrying 15kg, to an Anglo-Turkish drone the weight of a Camcopter, capable of firing two Martlets. It originally used two ducted electric fans, now it has six.
What’s more, there’s an expectation of growth during the next phase to a >155kg Class 2 hybrid drone with significant endurance through the addition of turbogenerator.
You know the MOD can’t move at those timescales. Look at the Leonardo RWUAS CCD drone. This is phase 3a of a project that has been going since 2013. Leonardo kicked off the latest iteration of the project themselves, and it was under development for a year without sponsorship before MOD officially bought in. That’s just for a “capability concept demonstrator” MOD had already been working with for nine years and which slotted nicely into a known requirement, Proteus. There’s just no way the MOD could could order a production run of something like Jackal that didn’t even exist two years ago.
It would be nice to see the RAF come up with an ordered set of drones, like the Navy have, but since the cancellation of Mosquito they seem reluctant to share anything publicly.
I think that’s the key difference, when you are looking at class 1 and lighter class 2 drone you’re essentially better off just going off the shelf from industry…and the development is rapid….class one drones are essentially disposable assets and will be out of date in no time..even class 2 should be considered cheap short term purchases. It’s the class threes that suck up the time and money and the Leonardo Rwuas is a class three demonstrator, class threes are longer term sovereign capability type strategic investments…they are all drones but very different fish from class 1 to class 3 and really are separate conversations…Look at the bell v-247 programme it’s a classic sovereign capacity long term project that cannot be compared to jackel or camcoptor.
Maybe that should be true, but it’s not like we moved all that fast on the Camcopter. FTUAS became an UCR in May 2021 and it should be flying from Lancaster as Peregrine next year.
I don’t know if we have a concept of truly disposable. I thought we should buy up a load of £2K drones to go on the OPVs for fun. No big maintenance contracts or specialist operators, just buy a few more next year to top up those lost. That way, when we were ready to move up to £100K drones, like Sky Mantis, it would be an easier transition.
It’s worth remembering that the Peregrines are a £20m contract for two years for one ship (unless they need to be moved in an emergency). Even the integration contract cost £1m. They just don’t feel all that disposable to me.
That is incorrect the MOD start for this project was in July 2022 so it is still within acceptable timeline.
I think the issue is that MOD did no know what it wanted before.
I didn’t say the timeline for Proteus was unnacceptable. I said Leonardo announced they were working on RWUAS on their own dime, a year before MOD’s start of phase 3.
Sarah Cook VP Operations Leonardo, 28 May 21. As quoted by Dominic Perry in Flight Global, 31 May 21.
You may be right that the MOD didn’t know what they wanted for phase 3 before last year, but I think (with no evidence to back me up) it was equally likely no budget or long-winded processes.
There was a gap between phase 1 (2013-2015) and phase 2 (2017-2019). So a similar gap to phase 3 might have made Leonardo think they’d get support in financial year 21/22.
Leonardo partnered with Northrop Grumman later in 2021 and I think they won’t just be building another tech demonstrator to UK requirements, rather a product they can also licence to the US.
Yes, another “inform decisions” thing as the can is kicked down the road yet again….🙄
Wake me up when its over sort of thing.
I know.
Have Taiwan also ordered the LMM to go into the Jackals? That might really get under China’s nose.
I wondered what the Vixen FWUAS was? it seems to be the proposal for catapult assisted and arrested recovery drones like the Sea Vixen or I guess protector MQ-9B STOL. Would be good to hear more on these developments and to get some hardware in service. The RN are playing the game well- slowly trialling and looking to integrate technology as it matures.
Vixen was thought to be a progression of the RAF Mosquito drone out of DSTL’s Project LANCA (Lightweight Affordable Novel Combat Aircraft). When Mosquito was cancelled there didn’t seem to be an obvious route forward for the Royal Navy, but I think you are right and MQ-9B STOL is the direction current efforts seem to be aimed. However, I just don’t see that as combat drone, even it can drop a couple of Paveways. I think there’s still room for a proper day-one fixed-wing carrier-based combat drone, and we could see that requirement return in time.
I think there is a behind the scenes deal going on to acquire the production version of Ghost Bat as the unmanned element of GCAP, it’s quite the coincidence that Japan suddenly stopped work on their Loyal wingman too…..
If the US, Japan, Australia and the UK all selected Ghost Bat, then the procurement cost will drop dramatically.
Put the money into GCAP and buy LW capability off the shelf.
I think it’s likely to be more like the Boeing Ghost Bat that Australia are working on, if they can get that STOBAR. I can see Protector STOL as the data node, ASW role, maybe AEW, but if they want air warfare and ground strike then they need something stealthy and fast- Protector is neither. Maybe they’ll split Vixen into two capabilities?
Nice to see the MOD scaling up! In all honesty, not sure what that means in terms of payload? Is it capable of carrying sonobuoys, stingray, LMM, Sea Venom, electro optical sensors, radar, dipping sonar? None of the above, a combination of the above?
This is my frustration with the MOD, even with the handy graphic, it doesn’t really give any information of what it’s capable of. General mission sets could mean anything, and it doesn’t say if the “2-3 The class” is the final iteration, or insufficient for the task and just a stepping stone. One thing the US does a lot better is explain what they expect their experimental stuff to do, at a practical level.
Hero was a 250kg air frame ( the last phase 2 RWUAS demonstrator) which is a light navel surveillance drone…the next iteration proteus is due to be a 2-3 ton class 3 drone for ISTAR and ASW as well as light lift.
“Phase 3 of RWUAS will see Leonardo deliver the 2-3-metric ton vertical takeoff and landing air system which is envisioned to perform intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) anti-submarine warfare and logistics supply missions for both land and sea domains. First flight is planned for 2025. “
Thanks, what I guess is missing for me in that is what that capability translates to. What’s the meaningful payload on a 2-3 The machine; is that it’s load carrying capability, the weight of the dry airframe, or the all out max weight of the airframe? What level of ISR is it capable of, i.e. how big a sensor suite it can take and does it have a data link back to the fleet. Those are the kind of contextual things that the US are very good at explaining and the MOD very good at hiding- for no reason that I can think of…!
It’s roughly 3 ton MTOW single rotor, so expect a capacity around 1 to 1.5 tons, payload plus fuel.
For something comparable, I’d look at the American Fire Scout (MQ-8C). Rolls Royce engine, Ultra sonobuoys and dispensors, Leonardo (UK) Osprey 30 radar — although only two antennas so 240 degree vision out to maybe 200 Nm, so it has a lot of UK connected equipment. Link-16. 140 knots, 15 hours endurance.
I’d hope Leonardo would go for a three-antenna Osprey 50 radar, with 360 degree coverage, but that might be too expensive.
it’s not a new drone concept, Airbus and the VSR700 have already done this like 3 years ago
The difference between previous versions such as Airbus VSR700, the Northrop Grumann MQ-8C and the Leonardo SW-4 Solo, is that all were based on existing airframes from manned helicopters. This is a clean-sheet design without any pilot space compromises, so we could get something significantly better. We’ll have to wait and see.
Oh goody. A concept drone. Haven’t seen one of those before.