Royal Navy’s New ‘Eye in the Sky’

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 [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7bbasMvXZJo?feature=player_embedded&w=640&h=360]

UK warships are to benefit from a new surveillance capability as part of a 30 million pounds contract signed by MOD

ScanEagle is a maritime reconnaissance asset that can be launched off the back of Royal Navy and Royal Fleet Auxiliary ships day or night to gather intelligence and survey the wider area of operations.

Built by Insitu, a subsidiary of Boeing Defence UK Limited, the ScanEagle is the first maritime-specific unmanned air system capability to be delivered in support of naval operations.

It will complement the existing intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance assets used on operations such as helicopters and long-range radar.

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The unarmed aircraft, which has a wingspan of just over 3 meters and weighs 22 kilograms, is launched from ships into the sky by a pneumatic catapult.

Flying at about 60 knots, it is commanded by a specialist team on board the ship who will plan the ScanEagle’s missions, control its flights and monitor and analyse the information it gathers using its state-of-the-art sensors.

At the end of its flight, the ScanEagle is recovered back to the ship.