90 AIR POWER 201721 ST CENTURY CAPABILITIES21 ST CENTURY PARTNERSHIPSAir Commodore Ian Gale explains how the RAF’s Protector
programme will revolutionise the way in which remotely piloted
air systems are operated around the world in the futureREMOTE FUTURE
SECURING THE SKIES WITH
THE PROTECTOR PROGRAMME
T
he General Atomics Protector
Remotely Piloted Air System (RPAS)
will replace the in-service MQ-9 Reaper
from the start of the next decade.
But what’s so different about Protector, and
why does Reaper need to be replaced?
The General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper was bought
for the RAF as a response to an urgent operational
need in 2007 and, from the outset, was used
extensively in the skies over Afghanistan. It has
provided excellent service, but it is approaching
the end of its design life. With no cost-effective
option to upgrade it, a replacement is necessary.
This is where Protector comes in, with the
ability to meet the full range of requirements.
Protector is being procured in partnership
with the United States Air Force (USAF) through a
‘government-to-government arrangement’ and, as
the most up-to-date development of the General
Atomics ‘Predator B’ family, draws enormous
benefits from the technology and operational
experience gained from the Reaper programme.
Protector shares many attributes with the latest-
generation Reaper (referred to as the Block 5), which
the USAF has chosen to meet its own requirements,
so it is reasonable to ask why the UK has opted for a
bespoke development. In essence, the issue comes
down to global employability. From the outset,
Protector has been designed and built with operations
in all types of airspace in mind. Reaper is optimised to
meet a very specific combat need, and the UK now
needs to be able to use its RPAS in a very wide range
of situations, including at home or in complex civilian-controlled airspace. For instance, Protector may be
used in response to natural disasters or other cases
where there is a need for enduring surveillance.
The ability for the air vehicle to operate in complex
airspace alongside other military and civilian air
traffic is a key requirement for the UK’s programme.
Protector will be able to respond quickly and over vast
distances – its ability to meet such a wide range of
potential tasks shows the strength of the partnership
between the military and civilian agencies in the UK.A NEW ERA OF AVIATION
In order to enable Protector to operate in the same
airspace as civilian air traffic, it has been manufactured
to the same standards as an airliner or other manned
aircraft; it will achieve full Military Type Certification
just like any military aircraft and will be able to operate,General Atomics’
RAF Protector pre-
production aircraft,
SkyGuardian,
photographed in
November 2016 at
the company’s test
facility in California
(PHOTO: GA-ASI)