Protector is a Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (RPAS) that will provide critical surveillance capability for the RAF and will be equipped with a suite of surveillance equipment and precision strike weapons to deploy against potential adversaries around the globe, all while being operated from RAF Waddington in Lincolnshire.

16 aircraft have now been ordered from General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc (GA-ASI) and are expected to enter service with the RAF by mid-2024, doubling the capability currently provided by Reaper. The investment also includes four additional ground control stations and associated support equipment.

At GKNA’s Cowes site, Minister Quin saw first-hand how the programme benefits UK industry as they manufacture the V-tails for Protector and other SkyGuardian variants for customers across the world, including Belgium and Australia, following their partnership with GA-ASI.

Defence Minister Jeremy Quin said:

Our fleet of sixteen Protector aircraft equipped with ultra-modern technology will provide the RAF with a vast global reach allowing us to monitor and protect the battlespace for hours on end.

The Protector programme involves industry across the UK with vital parts of the aircraft manufactured on the Isle of Wight, supporting highly-skilled jobs for years to come.

The commitment to a 16-strong Protector fleet was outlined in the Defence Command Paper and is supported by the £24 billion uplift to the defence budget over the next four years.

With 12 UK industry partners, the programme is bringing together world-leading technology and service providers to work with GA-ASI, supporting over 200 UK jobs with £400 million being reinvested into UK industry.

Protector will be deployed in wide-ranging Intelligence, Surveillance, Targeting and Reconnaissance (ISTAR) operations where its ability to fly consistently for up to 40 hours offers the RAF vastly improved armed ISTAR capability.

Protector Programme Senior Responsible Owner, Air Commodore Richard Barrow said:

The contract for the additional 13 Protector aircraft, taking the total to 16, is a major milestone for the UK. When Protector enters service in 2024, UK Defence will take an enormous jump forward in capability, giving us the ability to operate globally with this cutting-edge, highly-adaptable platform.

The first three aircraft were ordered last year, with the first two completed and currently undergoing test and evaluation in the US. The first aircraft delivery to the RAF will be in 2023.

CEO of Defence Equipment and Support, Sir Simon Bollom said:

I am delighted the purchase of a further 13 Protector aircraft has been confirmed enabling us to ensure the RAF will have the increased capability needed to operate effectively in the modern battlespace.

Later this year, Protector’s capability will be demonstrated in the UK. A SkyGuardian aircraft will take to the skies in Lincolnshire before taking part in Exercise Joint Warrior from RAF Lossiemouth.

Protector will have to meet stringent NATO and UK safety certification standards meaning it could operate in civilian airspace. It therefore will also be available, if requested, to support civilian agencies in the UK, for example in search and rescue and disaster response missions.

The fleet will also have advanced anti-icing and lightning protection, providing the RAF with unprecedented flexibility to operate in adverse weather conditions.

The aircraft will use enhanced data links and carry next-generation, low collateral, precision strike weapons – the UK-made Brimstone missile and Paveway IV Laser Guided Bomb.

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The government has set out plans to make the UK the best destination in the world for researchers, making sure that it continues to attract the brightest and best from the UK and from overseas, cementing its status as a science superpower.

The new R&D People and Culture Strategy published today builds on all the work already underway to make the UK a truly great place for research and innovation, led by individuals, universities and businesses and funders.

As part of the strategy the government will review the research funding offer to retain, attract and support the very best researchers, innovators and their teams. A review of youth engagement will also be undertaken to encourage more, and more diverse, young people into research and innovation careers.

Science, Research and Innovation Minister Amanda Solloway said: 

The incredible work of the UK’s scientists and researchers over the past year in response to the coronavirus pandemic has reminded us how crucial it is to make R&D a compelling and inclusive career path for as many people as possible.

This Strategy is driven by our vision of a more inclusive, dynamic, productive and sustainable UK R&D sector in which a diversity of people and ideas can thrive to drive economic and societal benefit for the UK.   As we build back better by unleashing innovation, it’s vital that we create a research environment that attracts and retains people from all backgrounds so that we can continue making cutting edge discoveries while cementing UK’s status as a science superpower.

In addition, the government has made a series of new commitments, including:

• developing a New Deal for post-graduate research students, starting later this year with a cross-sectoral consultation led by UKRI
• providing support for flexible, cross-sector training programmes to encourage more movement and collaboration between academia, industry and the charity sector
• creating a Good Practice Exchange to develop, test and evaluate ways to ensure the right culture is created within the academic community, including to support and develop talent, tackle bullying and harassment and promote a system in which diversity of people and ideas can thrive

Developed in collaboration with the sector, including academia, industry and charities with organisations such as Universities UK and GSK, the strategy lays out the challenges that researchers and institutions are facing, including skills shortages in particular disciplines, limited opportunities for career progression and issues of bullying and harassment.

In response, the strategy sets out how government will work with institutions, businesses, funders and charities to drive change in the sector, with new initiatives to encourage more young people into research, broaden career pathways in the sector and look further into the impacts of bureaucracy on researchers.

The publication of the R&D People and Culture Strategy comes alongside the launch of the Innovation Strategy, also published today, which aims to make the UK a global hub for innovation and increase business investment in R&D.

The R&D People and Culture Strategy was developed as a result of commitments made in the R&D Roadmap, published by the government last year. The roadmap put pursuing ground-breaking research, attracting global talent, and cutting unnecessary red tape at the forefront of our long-term plan to ensure the UK is the best place in the world for scientists, researchers and entrepreneurs to live, work and innovate.

The Global Talent Visa, along with the High Potential Individual and Scale-up visa routes announced today in the Innovation Strategy, provide fast track visa routes for high skills individuals and their teams, attracting top research talent to the UK. The UK’s points-based immigration system also does this by enabling employers to attract the best and brightest global talent to contribute to the UK’s economy.

Earlier this year the government also launched a review into research bureaucracy, which is being led by Professor Adam Tickell, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Sussex. It seeks to identify why bureaucracy has increased across the UK’s research system. Interim findings are expected in the autumn.