The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) has ordered 13 Protector RG Mk1 Remotely Piloted Air Systems (RPAS) to add to its initial order for three Protector RPAS, establishing 16 as the new total of Protectors to be delivered to the UK MoD.
A £195 million contract for a further 13 cutting-edge Protector aircraft has been signed, the UK MoD announced in a press release.
“Our fleet of 16 Protector aircraft will provide the Royal Air Force (RAF) with a vast global reach allowing us to monitor the battlespace for hours on end,” said Jeremy Quin, UK Minister for Defense Procurement.
GA-ASI’s MQ-9B SkyGuardian is the baseline system being configured for the RAF as the Protector RG Mk1. It includes X-band satellite communications (SATCOM) and support for UK weapon systems, as well as the aircraft’s onboard sensors such as its electro-optical sensor ball and Lynx Multi-mode Radar.