The Ministry of Defence has launched a proper procurement course of for Mission Corvus, a next-generation uncrewed aerial system supposed to switch the British Military’s Watchkeeper drones.
The contract, printed on 31 July, is valued at £130 million and can run for an preliminary 5 years beginning in Could 2026.
Based on the discover, the system should assist the Military’s Land Tactical Deep Discover requirement, delivering 24-hour persistent surveillance throughout divisional and corps-level operations. The competitors is being run by Defence Gear and Assist (DE&S) primarily based in Bristol.
This follows earlier reporting in April when the Military issued a Preliminary Market Engagement Discover and started business session. On the time, DE&S acknowledged its purpose to area a contemporary, deployable and supportable system that may not require vital adjustments to present Military doctrine or constructions. The system is to be operated by 47 Regiment Royal Artillery, the unit at present flying Watchkeeper.
The important thing necessities stay unchanged. The alternative should present real-time land and maritime ISTAR, low-latency knowledge sharing throughout joint and coalition networks, and the power to function in contested airspace and GNSS-denied environments. Technological agility and compatibility with the Land Industrial Technique are additionally necessary.
The procurement is being performed below the Procurement Act 2023. Whereas no submission deadline is listed within the preview discover, the contract is anticipated to start in Could 2026 and run till April 2031, with choices to increase.
Earlier documentation additionally confirmed that shortlisted suppliers can be anticipated to take part in dwell flight demonstrations. These are prone to be held at MOD check websites or at contractor amenities, topic to airworthiness approvals.
Mission Corvus is likely one of the Military’s flagship digital battlefield programmes and a key check case for future procurements below the brand new acquisition regime.