The Royal Navy has launched a strike-capable one-way effector drone from a ship at sea for the first time, firing the British-built Nyan from the experimentation vessel XV Patrick Blackett off the south coast of England, the service has announced.
The trials took place last month under Exercise Neptune Reach, with the Royal Navy, British Army and Royal Air Force working together under Project Vantage, a tri-service programme focused on accelerating the test and evaluation of maritime attack drones. Personnel from 26 Regiment Royal Artillery and 744 Naval Air Squadron worked alongside the ship’s company, launching and flying the drone while the vessel was underway.
The pre-programmed autonomous aircraft was fired from a launcher installed on the ship’s deck, capable of accelerating one-way effectors to up to 55 metres a second.
Nyan is a small uncrewed aircraft with a 2.9-metre wingspan designed to provide a precision strike capability, developed and built by Callen-Lenz, a BAE Systems company. One-way effectors of this type are flown to a target and expended on it, trading the performance of conventional cruise missiles for low cost and high production volume. According to the manufacturer, more than 1,000 units have been produced and the system is already operationally proven on land. The British Army used the same drone and launcher combination in Estonia in May during Exercise Spring Storm, employing it as part of the UK’s deep fires contribution in support of NATO allies.
Minister for Defence Readiness and Industry Luke Pollard said the trials showed the direction of travel for the fleet. “Britain is serious about the transition to a Hybrid Navy with new, powerful drones at the heart of the Royal Navy,” he said. “By bringing together Army and Navy expertise to field strike drones from a ship at sea, we are accelerating the capabilities our forces need to stay ahead of our adversaries.”
Lieutenant Commander David Burton, the Royal Navy’s Maritime One-Way Effectors capability sponsor, said the trial marked “a significant step forward in delivering Maritime One-Way Effectors at pace.” He added: “Under Project Vantage we are planning to integrate these capabilities into the Hybrid Navy, combining crewed platforms with uncrewed systems to expand reach, increase tempo and enhance lethality. Working closely with our army colleagues, this activity demonstrates how we are accelerating Atlantic Strike concepts into practical, deployable capabilities of the Fleet.”
Matt Foster, chief executive of Callen-Lenz, said: “These trials reflect strong collaboration across the services and industry, highlighting the pace at which we can deliver innovation to advance the UK’s integrated, multi-domain defence capability.”
The Royal Navy Capability team and the Air and Space Warfare Centre are now analysing the results, with the potential for further trials aboard the aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth. The work sits with the drive towards a hybrid fleet backed by the Defence Investment Plan, which commits over £5 billion to drone and autonomous systems according to the Royal Navy, including new classes of uncrewed naval vessels designed to operate alongside crewed warships.
Is that a Macro Lens shot ?
But seriously, here Is your new future of Warfare…. how much will 1000 Patrick Blackett’s cost ?
🤡
🫂
A macro lens shot from inside Portsmouth harbour, no less. I certainly hope they didn’t do the launch from there.
Well spotted Young man. 👍
I hope It wasn’t aimed at the “Whale Island Zookeepers” house. 😁😁😁.
Well now you mention it, Whale Island is where the grey and red building just below the end of the launch ramp is…
Wiki says Nyan has a range of 150km, possibly 250km.
I looked as I wondered what vessel would want to come close to land to use such a thing.
As one would think it useless against an enemy ship with missile and other air defence, judging by the numbers lost by both sides in UKR to finally hit a target.
Presumably one of the LUSVs close to shore?
Well plenty on here think warships should sail close to shore to undertake suicidal NGFS with their main gun. This allows a warship to undertake such support from a more survivable (for the ship) range from shore.
Yes, fair, much further than your usual shell.
It’s already being used in Ukraine, it’s not an RN weapon it’s an Army weapon, seems to be very handy for knocking out mid range air defence systems and its appears to be a very low RCS configuration. Such a system would have been very handy for warships fighting the Houthis in the Red Sea, if you watch the video on IBFS forces news it shows a single guy loading the ramp. Suggesting you could fire dozens of these very quickly from any RN vessels with a flight deck.
Yes, the Army has it for CABRIT.
This is the thrust of my questions, I want it deployed more widely in the Army, not a niche capability in a solitary Battlegroups assigned RA Batteries.
And the RN too.
I suspect too often this is all style over substance, like your Jet Powered Drone.
Really, Nyan? So someone thought naming this new drone after the Japanese onomatopoeia for a cats meow was a good idea?
Blimey, you actually knew that ? or had to look It Up ? 🤔
I grew up on 2000s internet, of course I know what it means
What’s an “Internet” ? I’m Old.
😳
Cat got your Tongue DM ? 😁
Is there any logical reason for us not having a land based anti ship missile system, seems ridiculous the lack of capability
Given that most of our Fleet Is In Port or dry dock, we already have that capability. 😇
🤣
NSM has a range of about 100km, so you’d need a lot to cover the coastline, along with military installations to house them all.
It’s makes more sense to air or ship launch so you can head towards the target first. For air we have sea venom until STRATUS arrives.
Although I wouldn’t be surprised if storm shadow could hit a ship if it wanted.
Why do you think the lack of land launchers is ridiculous?
*sorry 100nmi
Totally agree in theory air or sea launched would be ideal, but surely some form of mobile land based anti ship could be sensible, especially given the state we’re in.
It infuriates me Russian ships can sale through the channel laughing at our lack of capability.
I don’t think we’d have any problems closing the channel at a moments notice, we have air launched anti ship missiles and torpedoes. Plus our surface ships and subs.
I don’t think there’s any benefit to having land based anti ship systems in the UK, they’re probably more of a benefit for overseas deployment. But again, just use a jet or helicopter.
Ah but you forget that when we built the Chunnel, we rather cunningly Installed a Plug and Chain.
One Tug and Down the drain they go.
Yes, need to go back a bit first.
In the Cold War the Russian surface fleet was to sit in their Bastions, not circle the UK or NATO nations. Their sub fleet and long range naval aviation were the main weapons.
Post Cold War, no need.
Now, with Russia resurgent, again their main offense navy wise is sabotage their submarines, and missiles.
Their ships will be sat in the Bastions in the north, or stuck by geography in the Baltic and Black Sea, which NATO control the exits to.
There might be the odd ship in the wider oceans, sure, I’d give it a few days survival at most if war broke out and ENATO and the US were on our side.
I don’t see Russia as stupid enough to start WW3 with their warships lined up off Britains shores, but shadow fleet with Drones, maybe.
So why a land based ASM system?
I want more GBAD for the UK as I think there’s a greater increase in threat there, but not ASM.
Interestingly, we did have such a system once, a handful of Exocet were on Gibraltar, but not for long.
Hi Daniele
Thanks for your informed reply.
Living on the coast I’m probably too used to seeing remnants of the old coastal batteries 😂
Sorry I forget to mention that the DiP included funding for PrSM. Since it mentions we’re joining Australia in that project then it means it will be the increment 2 missile which has anti ship capability out to 500km. The later increments will go to 1000km.
So we actually have just agreed to get land based anti ship missiles 🙂
Interesting drone, jet-powered and with no vertical surfaces.
Yes, reminds me of the various stealth designs.
There is a tiny stabiliser on either side of the jet pipe if you look closely.
The stealth shaping is quite interesting though.
Nyan cat has gone deadly.
I suppose this ticks the box of operating a jet powered drone of the carrier by the end of 2026.
Did that already with Banshee.
“Which can accompany F35.”
😳
Agree, some similar gimmick might be used. Not saying this is one, but they talk of Loyal Wingman type CCA, pie in the sky for me without the costs of adding catapult.
Attach a toe rope to one of the F-35s like you’re launching a glider.
Awesome! The worlds biggest and most expensive drone carrier.
Ermm, the Patrick Blackett, ain’t that big. 🫡