Thales's Watchkeeper given Release To Service by UK Ministry of Defence
Thales's Watchkeeper given Release To Service by UK Ministry of Defence
Wed, 05/03/2014
Watchkeeper, the unmanned aircraft system (UAS) developed by Thales for the British Army, has been given a Release To Service by the UK's Ministry of Defence (MOD).
Watchkeeper is the first UAS to be awarded a full Release To Service (RTS), and is the only UAS of its type allowed to fly in UK airspace. The RTS follows the MOD's rigorous safety and airworthiness reviews to ensure the system can be operated safely by the British Army. It will support British Army operations by allowing training on the system in the UK.
Watchkeeper is a high-performance, multi-sensor, all-weather UAS that can remain airborne for more than 16 hours in a single mission. The tactical UAS will be deployed by the British Army for life-saving surveillance and intelligence capabilities in support of military operations and is unarmed.
Crucially, Watchkeeper is certified to the same safety standard as manned aircraft.
The RTS moves the Watchkeeper programme from the testing and evaluation phase - previously undertaken by Thales operators in the approved test airspace near Parc Aberporth, West Wales - to full flight training for British Army operators.
It follows the announcement (24 February) that the British Army will begin training flights from Boscombe Down, Wiltshire.
The RTS will allow army crews to fly sorties in segregated airspace, integrating with the military exercises taking place on Salisbury Plain.
Lt Col Craig Palmer of the British Army said, The safety bar for Watchkeeper has been set very high. The detailed reviews and testing of the whole system have provided significant evidence that the system is maturing rapidly; sufficiently enough to support an RTS recommendation.
The process of achieving RTS and the other certifications required for Watchkeeper has been ground-breaking, not only for Thales but also for the MOD and the CAA , said Victor Chavez, CEO of Thales UK. Much painstaking work has been required by all parties to deliver the comprehensive and rigorous certification, but our collective achievement is a great one: the first tactical UAS allowed to fly in UK airspace.
This is a hugely significant moment in the history of unmanned aircraft systems in the UK, and indeed around the world. Watchkeeper is more than an aircraft. At the heart of the system is the revolutionary radar sensor, developed by Thales engineers in the UK and France, which offers unmatched performance for its size and weight. We now look forward to seeing the British Army using this world-leading capability in active service.
Pierre Eric Pommellet, Executive Vice-President of Thales in charge of the defence mission systems business
Key points
Watchkeeper is the first UAS to be given a full RTS by the UK's MOD
Certified to same safety standard as manned aircraft
Allows British Army training flights in UK airspace
Notes to editors
An RTS is the formal statement, on behalf of the Chief of General Staff, that an acceptable safety case has been prepared for the aircraft and its equipment. An RTS is required for all aircraft (manned and unmanned) subject to Military Aviation Authority (MAA) regulated service flying, and is written for the aircrew and engineers responsible for the day-to-day supervision of flying operations and the desk officers responsible for developing policy and procedures.
A Tactical Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (TUAV) is a medium-sized mobile system providing Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance supporting brigade-level and below. They do not usually require a prepared runway surface and operate with a small logistics footprint, and require a high degree of coordination and integration into military and civilian airspace. They carry payloads such as optical cameras, laser range finder/designators, radars and intelligence systems.
Watchkeeper has been developed by Thales with strong support from its supply chain, including UAV Tactical Systems Limited (U-TacS), which was established at contract award as a joint venture company between Thales and Elbit Systems.
Press Contacts
Thales, Media Relations
Defence aerospace
Emmanuelle Le Fol
+33 (0)6 82 65 64 34
emmanuelle.lefol@thalesgroup.com
Thales UK, Media Relations
John Warehand
+44 (0)7817 455409
john.warehand@thalesgroup.com
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Thales's Watchkeeper given Release To Service by UK Ministry of Defence 
