The Royal Navy is exploring the use of uncrewed picket platforms equipped with sensors to detect and track airborne threats, as part of a rapid procurement effort under Project HORUS.
A market engagement notice states that “the Royal Navy requires a rapidly procured and persistent air search capability, suitable for maritime platforms to host on board to detect, track, identify, and report airborne threats,” including drones, fast jets and cruise missiles.
The requirement places a strong emphasis on speed and maturity, with the Ministry of Defence seeking solutions that can be delivered within months. “The intention is to conduct a rapid market survey… selecting credible solutions; contracting and delivering the initial capability within four to six months,” the notice states, adding that the project is focused on “mature products with providers that are able to work at pace.”
At the core of the concept is a shift toward distributed sensing. The programme aims to “adopt a System of System Approach; introduce mass via numerous lower-cost sensors on uncrewed assets able to persist in high threat situations,” allowing the Royal Navy to extend surveillance coverage and cue higher-end weapon systems.
These systems would be expected to operate with a high degree of autonomy and persistence. The requirement specifies that platforms should be capable of remaining on station for “30 days (Threshold) or up to 90 days (Objective) without human in-person intervention or maintenance,” reflecting a move toward long-endurance, low-maintenance deployments.
The capability is also intended to reduce reliance on crewed platforms. The Ministry of Defence notes that the system must “reduce the crewed burden, reduce risk to life, [and] report air threats,” while being able to evolve over time as threats develop.
In terms of performance, the requirement sets out detection thresholds including “NATO Class 2 uncrewed air systems… anti-ship and land attack cruise missiles; [and] Gen 3 to 4 fighter-bombers at not less than 15 nautical miles,” with future expansion to include surface threats such as fast attack craft and uncrewed vessels.
Coverage requirements are also significant, with the notice stating that “a 2500km2 region must be persistently covered and reported on,” implying the need for multiple platforms operating in concert across a contested maritime environment.
Flexibility in delivery is also being considered. Project HORUS “is not limited to equipment procurement and is interested to receive proposals that exploit alternative commercial models, such as, SENSE as a service,” indicating openness to service-based or contractor-operated solutions.
The request for information is intended to shape the eventual procurement strategy, with the Ministry of Defence seeking to “develop further… understanding of the different technologies and capabilities available,” align requirements with industry, and identify options that offer value for money.
Hard to see what they are looking for here. The detection range against fighters is not great for modern radar, especially as it is talking about 3rd Gen. Also no requirement to operate alongside warships. Reading between the lines I think this is the MoD going ‘how do we get a radar picket in the Strait of Hormuz’ given the short response time, emphasis on low-tech opponents like FIAC and drones, and ‘complex littoral environment with contested geography’.
Can modern prototyping, 3D printing and the like allow us to develop new capabilities as the strategic picture changes? Additive manufacturing was going to build new drones for each mission a few years ago, perhaps some bright spark in the MoD thinks it can be done.
It’s an RFI. They are looking for information. It’s just a check on the state of the art in the hope that someone has a close solution, or even an alternative approach. I don’t think this is Gulf related, at least not for this war. I think it’s part of the Digital Targeting Web.
Possible but I wouldn’t ignore that this might very well be wanted for the Straight. We have no idea as to when warships might risk operating there let alone tankers, certainly not any time soon I suspect. It’s no doubt hoped by the Europeans/Japan at least this conflict can be toned down, some compromise found and ships start flowing again, but let’s be honest if this goes on for another 2 to 3 months then firstly by then things will really be getting so desperate in terms of oil supply and effects on economies that trying to force a passage might by then deemed the best bad option and to be honest that might be the earliest we could consider taking on the risk in the hope Iran has been degraded enough to risk it. What a damn mess either way. If it were not a very urgent request this sort of platform would surely by considered over a longer period and indeed should already have been considered the way anti ship missiles are developing, the fact it’s targeting lower end threats initially at least tends to suggest concerns about threats in the Middle East and Littoral less than Peer environments than any expected threat from say Russia.
As a surveillance systen coverng the North Sea, Baltic and North Atlantc unmanned system have an obvious use. Hwever, it needs to be carefully thought out and backed up by appropriate manned control systems and manned weapons systems – in other words, a properly funded and equipped integrated defence system. These vessels must never be considered to be complete in their own right or used as an excuse to cut costs elsewhere.
Sounds brilliant and continues the long British tradition for innovation, battle tanks and aircraft carriers, to name a few. The sooner we can develop autonomous surface and underwater naval craft, the sooner our fleet can increase to realistic numbers.
I won’t hold my breath Maurice…
So 3-6 months to get the first one and to be deployed from a host.. so a small floaty boat maybe 10-15 meters.. stick a pair in a mission bay and you have a down threat axis picket.. very good.. but this does not replace the crewed ship.. that’s really important it makes it better but you cannot use these to reduce your number of escorts in the same way as a small ship flight does not reduce the number of ASW frigates you need.
The mission bays in T26 and T31 will be deploying systems not even dreamed of yet in their 30 year operational careers.
Thank god we didn’t go for the tiny BAE Systems Leander 2 design, the T31 has the size and volume for all sorts of bolt on goodies and deployable systems.
We just need to order more of both classes to build mass and deploy a whole fleet of unmanned systems to stitch it all together.
I think if a T-32 or new batch T-31 indeed does materialise it might be worth considering extending their mission bay capacity even more as it’s looking increasingly certain drones of various capabilities are going to be vitally important and that some ships incorporating them perhaps emphasise that capability leaving others of that class or other classes, to their general purpose or other specialities priorities. But that means increasing numbers.
Yep it seems the RN made a very good long term call insisting all their frigates have big mission bays.. I believe you could stick up to 4 12-15 meter ( well not quite 15 meters) drones in a mission bay of a type 26.. not so sure how the T31 mission bay will work ?
That top image reminds me of that science fiction movie The Philadelphia Experiment.