The Ministry of Defence is evaluating choices to combine the RAF’s newly operational Protector remotely piloted plane with the P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol fleet, in response to Defence Minister Luke Pollard.
In a written reply to Ben Overweight-Jecty MP, Pollard mentioned that “the exploration of the Maritime functionality for Protector is being thought of as a part of the Defence Funding Plan to take onboard the Evaluate’s imaginative and prescient and suggestions and switch them right into a supply plan.”
Protector entered RAF service earlier this yr, changing Reaper with a licensed, NATO-compliant platform able to long-endurance intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance missions. The plane operates from RAF Waddington, whereas the Poseidon fleet at RAF Lossiemouth offers the UK’s main anti-submarine and maritime patrol functionality.
The mixing would align with suggestions within the Strategic Defence Evaluate 2025, which urged tighter hyperlinks between long-range maritime surveillance plane and uncrewed programs to boost layered detection and protracted ISR protection within the North Atlantic.
The transfer additionally follows developments amongst shut allies. Canada plans to subject a combined fleet of a minimum of 14 Boeing P-8A Poseidon twinjets and 11 unmanned Common Atomics MQ-9B SkyGuardians, combining crewed and uncrewed platforms for maritime area consciousness and patrol operations.
Additional particulars on the UK’s integration plan are anticipated within the forthcoming Defence Funding Plan, which Pollard mentioned will make sure the method “is reasonably priced, considers infrastructure and other people, alongside capabilities and maximises the advantages of defence spending to develop the UK financial system.”