This is a vital step along the way to operating crewless aircraft safely alongside F-35 Lightning jets and naval Merlin and Wildcat helicopters which are currently the backbone of the Fleet Air Arm. The goal is to deploy drones with a UK Carrier Strike Group in the future, using them to transfer stores and supplies, such as mail or spare parts between ships, without the need to launch helicopters. Drones are cheaper to operate, eliminate any potential risk to aircrew, such as in bad weather and keep the hi-tech Merlins and Wildcats free for operational sorties, such as hunting hostile submarines or surface vessels which are threats to the carrier strike group.
This story is from the September 2023 edition of Future Flight.
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This story is from the September 2023 edition of Future Flight.
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