The Royal Air Force say that the first Protector remotely piloted aircraft has been accepted off-contract by the Ministry of Defence from General Atomics-Aeronautical Systems-Inc (GA-ASI).
“The handover last month followed the successful conclusion of the Acceptance Test Procedure performed jointly by UK MOD and GA-ASI. Ownership of the aircraft has now transferred to UK MOD and the aircraft will now fly with a UK Military tail number, PR005, under a UK Military Permit to Fly.”
The RAF added that the aircraft remains in the USA to participate in the initial training programme for the RAF, with the first delivery of Protector to the RAF in the UK planned for 2023.
Air Vice-Marshal Ellard, Director Combat Air, at Defence Equipment and Support, was quoted as saying:
“It was a great pleasure to accept the first Protector aircraft off contract on behalf of the MOD. While this aircraft will remain in USA, it will be used to train RAF personnel with UK equipment and will be placed on the UK Military Register. We now look forward to the first delivery of this highly capable aircraft type to RAF Waddington during 2023.”
Air Commodore Hicks, RAF programme Senior Responsible Owner, said:
“The acceptance of the first Protector aircraft is a significant and exciting milestone in the delivery of this world class capability to the Royal Air Force. The aircraft will be used to train RAF technicians how to maintain the capability, prior to the arrival of the first aircraft in the UK next year.”
The RAF say that to achieve full operational clearance, Protector is being assessed against stringent NATO and UK safety certification standards, meaning it could operate in civilian airspace. It is expected that Protector will achieve certification in 2024.
“Protector will replace Reaper and will be deployed in wide-ranging Intelligence, Surveillance, Targeting and Reconnaissance (ISTAR) operations where its ability to fly consistently for up to 40 hours, offers the RAF vastly improved armed ISTAR capability. It would also be available, if requested, to support civilian agencies in the UK, for example in search and rescue and disaster response missions.”
Would be useful to retain Reaper in the M East where it has always been in addition to the Protectors which will be UK based.
The 39 Sqn DET at Indian Springs will also draw down I believe.
That would be sensible (so won’t happen) the other place i thought would be down South from MPN could be used to patrol around Islands EEZ or even from ASI
The whole operation will be run from RAF Waddington, including any middle East operations. So it’s a good thing we no longer require the Indian Springs det.
Agreed, with the Reaper OC at the hanger at Wadd it’s not needed.
I’d still like to keep the Reaper airframes though. Protector can fly in UK airspace.
Will they have life left in them?
I’m just trying to think what would be the reason to not store them
plenty of airframe hours left MS .
couldn’t agree more with your point on Reaper DM -plenty of airframe hours left.
Guessing that means 39sqn will disband DM?
I have no idea mate. I don’t see why, and with the expansion to 16 and maybe more you’d think they’d have 2 squadrons for that area.
Maybe 39 will go and another number plate will stand up.
cheers Bud, thanks
I know it’s slightly off topic but found this on wiki. What our Air Force had at one time https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Outline_of_the_British_Royal_Air_Force_at_the_end_of_the_Cold_War
Great to see.
Interestingly, most of those sites bar RAFG and some in Support Command are still on MoD estate.
Thanks!
Wow … just highlights how much of a peace dividend we took after the end of the Cold War
As I scrolled down, the expletives grew ever stronger.
It is a big list. A lot of the stuff would probably not be of great use today even with modernisation.
If defence spending had stayed where it was then we could be looking at double the typhoon fleet, double MRA and not of retired some of the more useful assets
Yes quite an extensive list, but look at it subjectively, plenty of duplication in roles – Tornado GR1/Jaguar GR3 and Tornado F3/Phantom FGR2 for example , modern Aircraft are much more capable in multi role use, not as much need to have such a diverse fleet.
Surely maritime reconisence is a major use for such drones