UK Air Force Upgrades its Capabilities

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The UK has ordered 13 more Protector RG Mk1 Remotely Piloted Air Systems (RPAS). The SkyGuardian is referred to as Protector by the British acquisition program.

The UK Royal Air Force said it would receive the first aircraft in 2023, with an in-service date in mid-2024, adding that the 16 Protectors would double the capability provided by RAF Reaper RPAS, according to janes.com.

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI) has developed a variant of the Predator B Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) series that meets NATO standards (STANAG-4671), and in cooperation with the FAA, will subsequently meet airworthiness certification standards domestically and around the world. 

The UK Ministry of Defence was exercising a clause in the original contract for three Protector RPAS announced in July 2020, bringing the total number of systems to be delivered to 16, according to the company.

The order for the additional RPAS is worth GBP195 million (USD230 million), and includes four more ground control stations and associated support equipment, according to the UK Royal Air Force (RAF) website. 

The service said: “Protector 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 … The fleet will also have advanced anti-icing and lightning protection, providing the RAF with unprecedented flexibility to operate in adverse weather conditions.”