A U.S made UAV to be Purchased by the UK Air Force

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The UK Ministry of Defence has selected the Certifiable Predator B (CPB) RPA system, with some specific modifications, to fulfil the country’s future armed Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition, and Reconnaissance (ISTAR) requirements.

This has been announced by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA‑ASI) at the Farnborough Air Show, reports the UAS Vision.

According to David R. Alexander, president, Aircraft Systems, GA.,the CPB is “the next-generation Predator B will satisfy British emerging requirements for a Reaper replacement certified so that it will be capable, subject to developments in regulatory framework, to operate within unsegregated controlled airspace. Featuring enhanced safety and reliability systems, CPB will meet European airworthiness certification standards.”

GA-ASI is undertaking an Independent Research and Development (IRAD) effort to design, develop, and produce CPB, a variant of its Predator B RPA that is fully compliant with NATO’s UAV System Airworthiness Requirements .

Construction of CPB has begun, with fuselage integration currently underway, followed by wings and tails integration planned for late summer 2016. Flight testing of the CPB airframe is scheduled for late 2016.

The UK Ministry of Defence’s selection of CPB follows the 2015 Strategic Defence and Security Review and the Prime Minister’s announcement of the government’s intention to replace Predator B/MQ-9 Reaper.

CPB has been down-selected as the only viable option capable of meeting the UK PROTECTOR programme’s key user requirements, including operations in both controlled and uncontrolled airspace.

The UK’s CPB procurement will occur through a hybrid Foreign Military Sales/Direct Commercial Sale agreement with the U.S. government.