The Ministry of Defence is evaluating options to integrate the RAF’s newly operational Protector remotely piloted aircraft with the P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol fleet, according to Defence Minister Luke Pollard.
In a written answer to Ben Obese-Jecty MP, Pollard said that “the exploration of the Maritime capability for Protector is being considered as part of the Defence Investment Plan to take onboard the Review’s vision and recommendations and turn them into a delivery plan.”
Protector entered RAF service earlier this year, replacing Reaper with a certified, NATO-compliant platform capable of long-endurance intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance missions. The aircraft operates from RAF Waddington, while the Poseidon fleet at RAF Lossiemouth provides the UK’s primary anti-submarine and maritime patrol capability.
The integration would align with recommendations in the Strategic Defence Review 2025, which urged tighter links between long-range maritime surveillance aircraft and uncrewed systems to enhance layered detection and persistent ISR coverage in the North Atlantic.
The move also follows developments among close allies. Canada plans to field a mixed fleet of at least 14 Boeing P-8A Poseidon twinjets and 11 unmanned General Atomics MQ-9B SkyGuardians, combining crewed and uncrewed platforms for maritime domain awareness and patrol operations.
Further details on the UK’s integration plan are expected in the forthcoming Defence Investment Plan, which Pollard said will ensure the approach “is affordable, considers infrastructure and people, alongside capabilities and maximises the benefits of defence spending to grow the UK economy.”
This is probably the most obviously sensible major decision that could be made.
These drones have a heck of a lot of range and a heck of a lot of endurance, so using them for ASW makes a lot of sense.
Then pretty please could we have the carrier STOL version?
Yes, so lets see some more purchased to do this rather than spread them even more thinly.
I hope this is not an indication of things to come when the DIP anouncement finally happens.
UK Defence Jam watered down to spread wider.
Halfwit – what has got into you? That is a serious comment!
He’s obviously not a well man…
It’s a Personality flaw, It manifests sometimes without warning, I had an attack early this morning but It easing off again now.
Don’t be silly, Where’s the fun in that.
Completely agree. I’ve thought for a while that, making quick improvements in ASW should be near the top of the list and that this would be an obvious move. Getting at least a few STOL conversions ASAP, gaining experience of operating large UAVs from the carriers and extending their capabilities now seems a no-brainer too, even if ultimately different carrier solutions prove better.
I totally agree, Canada seems to have a good handke on this.
The UK should be operating broadly the same mix.
A UK fleet of 14 ish P8, backed up by a fleet of 10 ish Sea Guardian would restore Maritime mass we haven’t had since the mid 90’s.
They have the range and capabilities to make a huge difference. It would also make sense if Norway generated a similar force mix.
These are also ISTAR platforms and heavily utilised on current operations. Spreading assets evermore thinly dilutes these platforms effectiveness.
The reality of this strategy is you need multiples of the unmanned system to every manned system to release the true value. I can’t see us doing that & we already have tasking for protector otherwise why buy it. Good on paper as a capability but not sure this will happen in reality. Due to numbers and other tasking.
Assuming we can’t/won’t buy enough for both then I suppose it comes down to priorities. Swatting mopeds in the Middle East, alongside the Americans or addressing the Russian submarine threat to Europe. Tough choice.
It’s a pretty obvious ‘low hanging fruit’ call to make, I know we’ve been saying it for years here.
We’d need the full procurement of 16 airframes, plus probably a few more, and some maritime surface search radar kits at a bare minimum.
Obviously, preferably, sonobuoy dispensers and Stingray integration would be preferable, along with whatever data node stuff would be needed to send the sonobuoy data onwards.
Waiting for someone to demand dipping sonar too, with the Protector flying tight circles so that the cable drops straight down and into the water!
Which is why I disagree with ditching Reaper so readily. As how many of the Protector force will now be in the Middle East carrying out a task Reaper was doing already?
Reaper could not do the UK based maritime role anyway as it could not fly here, so maximise Protector for the European NATO, ASW, maritime tasks.
Makes a lot of sense in tbe shorter term mate.
If we are pushing forwards to 3.5% on defence, then a fleet of 30 plus Protector drones shouldn’t be a problem, with Sea Guardian and STOL kits for maximum flexibility across precision strike, maritime patrol and flexible Carrier use.