The UK Royal Air Force (RAF) has introduced to service its “first of a new family of autonomous collaborative platforms”, which it claims will revolutionise operations in contested environments.
Announcing the milestone on 2 May, the RAF said its new StormShroud system is ready for use by 216 Sqn. Based on the Tekever AR3 unmanned air vehicle (UAV), it employs Leonardo UK’s BriteStorm stand-in jammer technology.
A minimum deployable capability was declared on 1 April, with the service’s initial order covering the provision of 24 UAVs.
“StormShroud will support RAF [Lockheed Martin] F-35B Lightning and [Eurofighter] Typhoon pilots by blinding enemy radars,” the service says, while also describing it as “a powerful deterrent to potential aggressors”.
“The best way to optimise our strength against increasingly sophisticated adversaries is through a blend of crewed and uncrewed autonomous platforms operating together,” it adds.
Developed within one year following the endorsement of an urgent capability requirement, the StormShroud system is the result of an activity by industry for the RAF’s Rapid Capabilities Office, Defence Equipment & Support organisation and Defence Science and Technology Laboratory.
The RAF cites its accelerated schedule as an example where “cutting-edge technology is brought into service with a balanced and risk-aware approach to assurance, avoiding excessive time and cost penalties”.
Noting that the project was informed by the use of unmanned technology during conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East, it adds that it will “continuously improve the tactics, platform capability, and payload effects to remain ahead of adversary threats”.
Manufactured in west Wales and Southampton, Hampshire, the AR3 has already demonstrated its “proven capabilities in Ukraine”, the service notes. The airframer says its aircraft has to date accumulated over 10,000 combat flight hours in service for Kyiv.
Tekever details the AR3 as having a maximum operating weight of 25kg (55lb), including a payload of up to 4kg. It cites a mission endurance of 8h if operated in vertical take-off and landing mode, or up to 16h if launched by a catapult. The RAF’s examples will be employed in the latter configuration.
The UAV has a wingspan of 3.5m (11ft 5in) in its baseline configuration, with a cruise speed of up to 48kt (90km/h) and an operating ceiling of 11,800ft. The new platform’s performance figures have not been disclosed, but it will be capable of conducting autonomous swarming operations, including by drawing on artificial intelligence technology.
Electronic warfare payload supplier Leonardo UK describes the novel equipment combination as “a new way for the UK armed forces to deal with increasingly capable air defence systems”.
“On its return, [the] BriteStorm [technology] is rapidly reprogrammable for subsequent missions, but if destroyed in the defence of higher-value or crewed platforms, its loss would be tolerable,” it says of the “attritable” system.
“Autonomous collaborative platforms will revolutionise how we conduct a range of missions, from intelligence gathering to strike and logistical support,” says RAF chief of the air staff Air Chief Marshal Sir Rich Knighton. “This is a seminal moment for the RAF to maintain our advantage in air combat and national security,” he adds.
Regular and reserve personnel assigned to 216 Sqn will be responsible for “launch and recovery as well as the critical liaison and integration with F-35B Lightning and Typhoon FGR4 squadrons”, the service says.
Story updated on 2 May with additional details on air vehicle numbers and in-service declaration timing.
