tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-442909239199162925.post4072489538249045161..comments2024-02-29T11:45:01.870+01:00Comments on UK Armed Forces Commentary: The mystery of "Protector" - UPDATE Gabrielehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01623558391676151582noreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-442909239199162925.post-6025380565972391862016-12-10T15:04:02.718+01:002016-12-10T15:04:02.718+01:00I have been trying to sell them the Gem-7 UAV for ...I have been trying to sell them the Gem-7 UAV for ten years - at 1/40th the cost of Predator. And they will not listen. Ok, our capabilities are slightly less that Predator, but you get 40 airframes to do the mission. Gem-7 = 50 hours endurance.<br /><br />www.gem-aero.ukAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-442909239199162925.post-45274014406261564032015-10-09T14:51:03.876+02:002015-10-09T14:51:03.876+02:00Looks like Protector will indeed by an upgraded MQ...Looks like Protector will indeed by an upgraded MQ-9 Reaper.<br /><br />https://ukdefencejournal.org.uk/protector-drone-to-be-reaper-derivative/BritishGrenadierhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09141624704388898556noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-442909239199162925.post-54560906270449430552015-10-08T15:29:31.078+02:002015-10-08T15:29:31.078+02:00You got it. Royal Navy Rotary Wing UAV trialing th...You got it. Royal Navy Rotary Wing UAV trialing this year apparently.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12729830680739249692noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-442909239199162925.post-28645915962738979392015-10-07T19:08:57.063+02:002015-10-07T19:08:57.063+02:00Its all very well having these drones for use agai...Its all very well having these drones for use against ISIS and other low tech enemies but the threat from Russia is growing daily.<br />We urgently need to counter their strategic reach. Not enough attention is paid to this.<br />They have a better grasp of the realities of power than NATO currently possess.4thwatchhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10461313531403813431noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-442909239199162925.post-10321344249251847962015-10-07T03:51:17.845+02:002015-10-07T03:51:17.845+02:00Put whatever avionics package this will have on so...Put whatever avionics package this will have on something that can VTOL or at least STOVL. <br />Deploy it on any French/USMC/UK/Spanish/Italian/Thai/Japanese/Brazilian or Korean Helo capable Carrier. <br />Move it via anything as big as a C-130.<br /><br />Am I asking too much?<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-442909239199162925.post-51349561941691729542015-10-05T16:39:52.801+02:002015-10-05T16:39:52.801+02:00Just to repeat, if the Sky News report is accurate...Just to repeat, if the Sky News report is accurate, the new 'Protector' drone will be sourced from the US. Any speculation about European, Israeli or UK drones looks to be a deadend to me.<br /><br />The drone (if it is coming from the US) will be an upgraded Reaper drone (as outlined by Gabriel), or the Avenger (Predator 'C' model). These are the only two US drones that would fit the description.Simesterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08767008675137687570noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-442909239199162925.post-59654605895861411032015-10-05T10:57:23.547+02:002015-10-05T10:57:23.547+02:00Looking at that Seaspray configuration there must ...Looking at that Seaspray configuration there must be a serious performance hit on the aircraft. hamsterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17513877299467361315noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-442909239199162925.post-3419194375782400272015-10-05T10:04:07.937+02:002015-10-05T10:04:07.937+02:00There has been some interest, but not at a "w...There has been some interest, but not at a "we will procure that" level. The Triton is a very expensive system, and if it was procured it would in place of P-8, not as a complement to it. <br /><br />The Protector could be still be used to supplement P-8 over the sea, if and when it won't be hunting terrorists abroad. Adding the Seaspray 7500E, the Reaper becomes a good surface-search platform over the sea. <br /><br />And most recently, the UK has been funding the development of lightweight sonobuoys that in the future could be deployed by UAVs. So, to a degree, the Protector could have a maritime role too. <br />But, i would think and hope, there won't be anything else on the list that risks seeing the P-8 cut off. Gabrielehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01623558391676151582noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-442909239199162925.post-89162947184641611082015-10-05T02:50:18.840+02:002015-10-05T02:50:18.840+02:00Sadly the French don't seem to stick with many...Sadly the French don't seem to stick with many of these collaborative projects. I liked the look of Mantis, a lot deadlier than the MALE, what?4thwatchhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10461313531403813431noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-442909239199162925.post-77664438567177777002015-10-05T01:32:30.189+02:002015-10-05T01:32:30.189+02:00Speaking of the future of the UK UAV fleet has the...Speaking of the future of the UK UAV fleet has there been any real interest in Triton on the part of the RAF or the MOD? I think the general consensus is that the UK will be getting the P-8 for the MPA role, but as Gaby has suggested it's possible that it may be used as a hybrid ISTAR asset in the longer term. Assuming that's the case, I can see a real case for operating a number of less expensive drones to cover the bulk of routine maritime patrol around the UK. Mostly to free up the P-8 fleet, which by all accounts will not be very large at 6-12 aircraft, for deployment overseas and use in other roles.BritishGrenadierhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09141624704388898556noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-442909239199162925.post-66166394795609333672015-10-04T22:32:46.901+02:002015-10-04T22:32:46.901+02:00I thought about the Avenger, but it is little more...I thought about the Avenger, but it is little more than a prototype, it would be too risky. I would think that, if they were ready to go for a developmental programme, then they'd favor Mantis. At least it would be a british product. Gabrielehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01623558391676151582noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-442909239199162925.post-8758967116247290682015-10-04T21:40:15.204+02:002015-10-04T21:40:15.204+02:00Should call them Spitfires or Hurricanes...Should call them Spitfires or Hurricanes...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-442909239199162925.post-21332200298334550852015-10-04T21:16:57.812+02:002015-10-04T21:16:57.812+02:00For something that will be largely used to rain fi...For something that will be largely used to rain fire down on the enemy Protector is a crappy name. <br /><br />Tend to agree with you Gab that a newer version of the Reaper with UK specific stuff like Brimstone and Paveway IV is the most likely outcome. Guessing if this is the case the 20 new drones will be to avoid operating 2 different variants and maybe because upgrading and retrofitting the existing 10 is prohibitively expensive. <br /><br />It would be great if we were going it alone with Mantis, but sadly i think the development costs and low chances of collaboration/exports makes this pretty unlikely, such a shame France pulled out of the Scavenger/Telemos agreement.<br /><br />All in all this is fairly good news, it's the lack of further details that's frustrating. Challengernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-442909239199162925.post-60815543821146091252015-10-04T20:59:45.390+02:002015-10-04T20:59:45.390+02:00I think politicians just didn’t like the name SCAV...I think politicians just didn’t like the name SCAVENGER for a drone. PROTECTOR sounds much friendlier, who wouldn’t want one, or 20, of those!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-442909239199162925.post-54064460731089719572015-10-04T20:32:56.033+02:002015-10-04T20:32:56.033+02:00I've been puzzling this one too... Googling &#...I've been puzzling this one too... Googling 'Protector drone' or 'UAV' gets you nothing.<br /><br />Could another possibility be the Avenger (the 'Predator C' model)?<br /><br />https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Atomics_Avenger<br /><br />This fits with the '24 hour endurance' and increased payload mentioned in the articles covering this. Also, according to Sky News, the new drones are being sourced from the US, therefore ruling out other country's drones.<br /><br />http://news.sky.com/story/1563495/sas-and-drones-to-be-beefed-up-in-is-fightSimesterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08767008675137687570noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-442909239199162925.post-6608123021920692832015-10-04T20:32:08.752+02:002015-10-04T20:32:08.752+02:00This comment has been removed by the author.Simesterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08767008675137687570noreply@blogger.com