Source · Select Committees · Defence Committee
Recommendation 6
6
Accepted
Rapidly progress development and deployment of UAS with clear timescales and funding
Conclusion
Uncrewed Aerial Systems (UAS) offer a cost-effective means of increasing combat mass. As we identified in our 2021 report “We’re Going to Need a Bigger Navy”, the role of UAS within the force mix on the UK’s aircraft carriers remains unresolved. This may have implications for decisions around the eventual size of the F-35 fleet. The MoD must rapidly progress its work to develop and deploy UAS alongside the Aviation Procurement: Winging it? 41 UK’s existing combat air fleet. Publication of the Autonomous Collaborative Platform strategy should be accompanied by clear (and ambitious) timescales and an adequate funding commitment for a UAS capability programme. (Paragraph 47) Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C)
Government Response Summary
The RAF has completed its Autonomous Collaborative Platforms (ACP) Strategy, which includes ambitious, time-bounded targets for delivery of air vehicles and key technology enablers, and will publish it in the near future. The strategy will focus on delivering ultra low-cost air vehicles in the near term.
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government
Accepted
The RAF has recently completed work on its Autonomous Collaborative Platforms (ACP) Strategy, which will be published in the near future. Aligned with the Defence’s approach to Uncrewed Systems Strategy, it forms a foundation upon which the RAF can aggressively deliver ACP into its force mix. It is clear in its ambitious, time bounded targets for delivery of air vehicles and key technology enablers. A priority enabler, and focus of the RAF’s research and experimentation efforts, is in the military application of autonomy within the air domain, where the RAF seeks to be a world-leader. In the near term, the RAF will focus on the delivery of ultra low-cost air vehicles, that bridge known capability gaps, whilst increasing force mass. In parallel, operational analysis for larger more survivable systems will inform the development of more modular and adaptable ACPs that will become a mainstay augmenting the future combat air fleet. Airborne Early Warning & Control