The largest uncrewed aircraft ever launched from a Royal Navy
aircraft carrier has paved the way for the next generation of UK
naval air power.
Codenamed ‘Mojave’, the specially-modified aircraft – operated
remotely by a ‘pilot’ at a computer terminal – has taken-off from
and safely landed back on board HMS Prince of Wales in a unique
trial off the East Coast of the USA.
No crewless machine its size – nine metres long, with a wingspan
of 17 metres (six metres wider than an F-35B Lightning stealth
fighter) and weighing more than 1½ tonnes fully loaded – has ever
flown from an aircraft carrier outside the US Navy before.
The trial off the coast of Virginia further unlocks the potential
of the UK’s Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carriers,
demonstrating how modern uncrewed air systems can operate
alongside fifth-generation crewed aircraft like the Lightnings.
“The Mojave trial is a European first – the first time that a
Remotely Piloted Air System of this size has operated to and from
an aircraft carrier outside of the United States,” said Rear
Admiral James Parkin, Royal Navy Director Develop, whose team
planned the trial.
“The success of this trial heralds a new dawn in how we conduct
maritime aviation and is another exciting step in the evolution
of the Royal Navy’s carrier strike group into a mixed crewed and
uncrewed fighting force.”
The Royal Navy’s Second Sea Lord, Vice Admiral Martin Connell,
said embracing autonomy was “the next logical step to ensuring
that the Royal Navy can continue to fight and win in an
increasingly-complex operating environment”.
He continued: “With so many international partners interested in
the results of these Mojave trials on board HMS Prince of Wales,
I am delighted that we are taking the lead in such exciting and
important work to unlock the longer-term potential of the
aircraft carrier and push it deep into the 21st Century as a
highly-potent striking capability.”
The Royal Navy has two decades’ experience in operating pilotless
aircraft from its ships, but the Fleet Air Arm’s existing systems
– such as the hand-launched Puma, and the new Peregrine miniature
helicopter which enters service in January – are designed for
short-range surveillance operations on land and at sea.
Mojave – a version of the MQ1C Gray Eagle aircraft adapted for
short take-off and landing from runways even shorter than the
flight deck of Queen Elizabeth-class carriers – is a much larger
and more complex aircraft.
Produced by US company General Atomics, Mojave is capable of
performing numerous long endurance missions from medium altitude.
It’s from the same family of aircraft as the Royal Air Force’s
new Protector RG Mk1 aircraft, such ‘medium altitude long
endurance’ remotely piloted aircraft are capable of conducting
long-range surveillance and strike missions over many thousands
of square miles.
Months of planning by experts from the Royal Navy, General
Atomics and HMS Prince of Wales’ crew went into the trial – one
of several involving crewless aircraft and F-35s this autumn to
push the boundaries of operations involving the UK’s two
carriers.
“My team and I are excited and proud to be the first to launch
and land a Mojave from an aircraft carrier,” said Commander
Martin Russell, in charge of air operations aboard HMS Prince of
Wales.
“During a deployment centred around experimentation and expanding
the envelope of the Queen Elizabeth class, this is one of the
highlights.
“Integrating the Navy Develop and General Atomics personnel into
the Prince of Wales team was key to enabling such a large
Remotely Piloted Air System to operate from the deck during this
trial, with the capability feeling like a glimpse into the future
of these ships.”
HMS Prince of Wales is now conducting intense training and trials
activity with the US Marine Corps before returning home to
Portsmouth next month.
General characteristics of MQ1C Gray Eagle/Mojave
Wing Span: 56 ft (17m)
Length: 28 ft (9m)
Powerplant: Thielert 165 HP heavy-fuel engine
Max Gross Takeoff Weight: 3,600 lb (1633 kg)
Fuel Capacity: 575 lb (261 kg)
Payload Capacity: 575 lb int. (261 kg)
500 lb ext. (227 kg)
Weapons: 4 Hellfire missiles
Payloads: EO/IR
SAR/GMTI
Communications relay
Power: 9 kW (redundant)
Max Altitude: 29,000 ft (8839.2m)
Max Endurance: 25 hr
Max Air Speed: 167 knots
