Advanced air-to-air refuelling and delivery drones could be on HMS Queen Elizabeth - MoD "exploring" options

Various new un-manned systems will potentially be added to HMS Prince of Wales and HMS Queen Elizabeth for use on Carrier Strike Group deployments. The Ministry of Defence (MoD) is pushing ahead with the goal of forming a hybrid navy, where conventional warships are supplemented with drones and other autonomous capabilities.

Former First Sea Lord, Labour peer Admiral Lord West, asked the government if carrier battle groups will have a fully autonomous air-to-air refuelling tanker. This capability would make operations involving F-35B fighter jets more efficient.

Responding to the parliamentary written question, Lord Vernon Coaker said: “The Royal Navy is exploring Fixed Wing Autonomous Collaborative Platforms (ACPs) as an augmentation for the F-35B Lightning jets embarked on Queen Elizabeth Class (QEC) carriers. This would be as a means of providing additional strike capability and air-to-air refuelling within the Hybrid Air Wing construct.

“The Royal Navy will work collaboratively with the Royal Air Force to evaluate emerging solutions for this capability. Project Vanquish, the demonstration of a short take-off and landing jet powered ACP to a QEC carrier, was recently announced by the First Sea Lord and is the first step to realising this ambition.

“Investment decisions to support Strategic Defence Review recommendations are being developed by the Ministry of Defence and will be published in the Defence Investment Plan.”

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First Sea Lord General Sir Gwyn Jenkins has been calling for the fast development of autonomous systems to arm the Royal Navy of tomorrow. This is in light of Russia’s burgeoning submarine force operating in the North Atlantic. Drones are already being used to great affect, with the Malloy T-150 being used to deliver supplies between ships during Operation Highmast in the Indo-Pacific.

Lord Coaker confirmed the government is looking into more carrier onboard deliver systems. He said: “The Royal Navy recognises the potential of autonomous systems to enhance the resilience and flexibility of Carrier Strike operations.

“All options for a Carrier Onboard Delivery capability are being considered, and work is currently underway to explore unmanned, autonomous, Maritime Inter- and Intra-Theatre Lift (MITL) capabilities, including trials of fixed and rotary-wing aircraft capable of operating from Queen Elizabeth Class carriers. This approach is consistent with the development of the Hybrid Air Wings recommended in the Strategic Defence Review.”