The U.K. Ministry of Defence recently officially took the wraps off a prototype unmanned combat aircraft of the future.
Called Taranis, after the Celtic god of thunder, the concept demonstrator will test the possibility of developing the first ever autonomous stealthy Unmanned Combat Air Vehicle (UCAV) that would ultimately be capable of precisely striking targets at long range, even in another continent.
Should such systems enter into service, they will at all times be under the control of highly trained military crews on the ground.
“Taranis is a truly trailblazing project,” said Minister for International Security Strategy Gerald Howarth, speaking at the unveiling ceremony at BAE Systems in Warton, Lancashire. “The first of its kind in the U.K., it reflects the best of our nation’s advanced design and technology skills and is a leading program on the global stage.”
Representing the pinnacle of U.K engineering and aeronautical design, Taranis is an informal partnership of the MoD and industry talents including BAE, Rolls-Royce, QinetiQ and GE Aviation [GE]. The Taranis contract was placed in December 2006. Speaking on behalf of the industry team, Nigel Whitehead, Group managing director of BAE’s Programs & Support business, said: “Taranis has been three and a half years in the making and is the product of more than a million man-hours. It represents a significant step forward in this country’s fast-jet capability. This technology is key to sustaining a strong industrial base and to maintain the U.K.’s leading position as a center for engineering excellence and innovation.”
The Taranis prototype will provide the MoD with critical knowledge on the technical and manufacturing challenges and the potential capabilities of Unmanned Combat Air Systems.
Flight trials are due in 2011.