The ScanEagle unmanned aircraft system (UAS) capability, commissioned by UK Royal Navy in June 2013,was set to go operational last week.
At a UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) media event on January 15th, Commander Bow Wheaton, the service’s maritime aviation capability desk officer was quoted as saying by IHS Janes, two task lines of the navy’s new UAS will be active on maritime security patrols in the Indian Ocean and the Gulf.
Cdr Wheaton said that Type 23 class frigate HMS Somerset and the landing ship RFA Cardigan Bay will each deploy with a ScanEagle task line.
The Royal Navy selected ScanEagle to meet an urgent operational requirement (UOR) in June 2013, and under a $46 million contract, scheduled to conclude at the end of March 2015.
ScanEagle will provide a persistent intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) capability, which under the UOR includes the ability to remain on station for eight hours at 40 n miles range from the launch platform.
Source: Defense World