The UK Royal Navy (RN) is to trial the use of Malloy Aeronautics’ T-150 uncrewed aerial system (UAS) for fleet logistics tasks during its forthcoming Carrier Strike Group 25 (CSG25) deployment.
Nine of the electric-powered quadcopters will be employed during the activity, which will involve 12 personnel from the RN’s 700X Naval Air Squadron drone trials unit. Operations will initially be conducted from three ships “to test the capability”, says Malloy parent company BAE Systems.
With a payload capacity of up to 68kg (150lb), the unmanned aircraft has a maximum speed of 52kt (96km/h).
BAE says duties will include transferring “supplies such as defence equipment, food and packages around the task group throughout its mission”.
“The T-150 will be tested as an alternative to the more expensive option of carrying out this work using helicopters, freeing them up to focus on their primary role of protecting the task force,” the company adds.
“We look forward to watching these versatile drones prove their worth during operational duties,” says Malloy chief executive Neil Appleton, who describes the UAS as “an efficient and cost-effective ship-to-ship resupply logistics solution”.
Due to commence on 22 April, the CSG25 activity will have as its centrepiece the RN’s flagship aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales, which will embark up to 24 Lockheed Martin F-35B Lightning II combat aircraft.
During the eight-month deployment Prince of Wales will be involved in exercises and also conduct port visits in locations including the Mediterranean, India, Malaysia, Singapore and the USA.
The UK Ministry of Defence says the deployment will involve around 2,500 RN personnel, plus almost 600 from the Royal Air Force.
In addition to its assessment of the lightweight T-150, the RN also is funding a Proteus demonstrator effort being advanced by Leonardo Helicopters. Using the company’s civilian AW09 airframe as its basis, the unmanned rotorcraft is expected to perform its first test flight later this year.
RN interest in unmanned systems has also seen the service host carrier-based trials of the fixed-wing General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Mojave and a W Autonomous Systems-developed cargo drone.
