The Royal Navy has launched four Nyan One-Way Effector strike drones from HMS Queen Elizabeth in the North Atlantic for the first time, and all four hit their designated strike points, according to BAE Systems.
The launches took place in October on Exercise Neptune Reach B, part of Project Vantage, which brings together the Royal Navy, British Army and Royal Air Force to speed up the testing and fielding of maritime strike drones. Nyan is a small uncrewed aircraft with a 2.9-metre wingspan, designed and built by Callen-Lenz, part of BAE Systems.
Matt Foster, CEO of BAE Systems’ Callen-Lenz, said: “The successful operation of Nyan from HMS Queen Elizabeth provides another proof-point of how this capability can support future force development and the evolution of the Royal Navy’s vision for a hybrid navy. As operational requirements evolve, we continue to invest in uncrewed systems that can provide affordable, scalable combat mass and increase the impact of existing capabilities.”
Lieutenant Commander David Burton, Capability Sponsor, Royal Navy, said: “Neptune Reach B marks an important milestone in the Royal Navy’s understanding of how Maritime One-Way Effectors will contribute to future Carrier Strike operations. Through Project Vantage we are generating the evidence, operational insight and confidence required to inform future capability decisions while supporting the wider Defence One-Way Effector programme.
“Conducting these activities from HMS Queen Elizabeth allows us to explore how uncrewed strike drones might operate alongside other crewed and uncrewed capabilities within a maritime task group. The lessons identified will directly contribute to Maritime Aviation Transformation and our vision for a Hybrid Navy that delivers greater operational choice and effect.”
The carrier launches follow the type’s first launch at sea from the experimental vessel XV Patrick Blackett off the south coast of England earlier this year, when personnel from 26 Regiment Royal Artillery and 744 Naval Air Squadron took part and further trials aboard Queen Elizabeth were raised as a possibility. The Army used the same drone and launcher in Estonia in May on Exercise Spring Storm. The Ministry of Defence awarded Callen-Lenz a contract worth about £5 million in February to buy Nyan for UK forces deployed on Operation Cabrit, describing it as the only off-the-shelf product of its type on the Military Aircraft Register.
Chat advises these one way Nyan drones have a range of about 150 mikes and a jet engine speed around 150mph with a weapon payload about 20kg. . A very quick scsn of Royal Navy anti ship misdiles suggest these drones go further than most of not all of our standard anri ship missikes fired from syrface vessels . We have a longer range missile that is being developed . Of course our carriers shpuld not be any where near anything within 150 miles that might fire back , so really just testing off the carrier