The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) has issued a Request for Information (RFI) notice seeking feedback on the solutions offered by the manufacturers to replace the airborne early warning (AEW) systems currently operated by the Royal Navy to protect its carrier strike groups (CSG).
“The objective of the RFI is to understand the capacity and capability of the industrial base to support this capability requirement. The implementation options in the RFI are not prescribed, so we are interested in views from all interested parties on the best possible solution.”
The new systems would replace those currently operating from the Queen Elizabeth-class carriers, and would have significantly enhanced capabilities. Indeed, the MoD is looking for a system capable of operating from the carriers and providing “persistent 24 hours surveillance” with significant detection capabilities to spot both surface and airborne threats, including anti-ship missiles.
“The primary purpose of the system will be to provide the Carrier Strike Group […] with sufficient warning of air and surface threats inclusive of modern anti-ship guided weapons and strike aircraft to allow for effective counter threat action.”
Currently, the Royal Navy operates Merlin helicopters fitted with the Crowsnest radar as an airborne surveillance system. However, this system should be decommissioned at the end of the decade, despite entering service in 2021.
With no CATOBAR systems fitted their aircraft carriers, the Royal Navy does not possess systems similar to the American HAWKEYE, marking a certain capability gap in their detection and warning capacity. By notifying a 24-hour surveillance capability for a future platform, the MoD is paving the way for the study of the use of drones as an alternative to manned platforms.
For the record, as reported previously by Naval News, the Royal Navy had carried out trials with General Atomics’ ‘Mojave’ UAV aboard HMS Prince of Wales in 2023. However, this subject was not yet on the table, and only served to determine the ability to operate such platforms from a Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carrier.
Although specifying that this notice does not concern an “imminent procurement”, the MOD indicates a possible contractualization in early 2027 for commissioning of the new systems in 2030-2035. The value of such a program is estimated at between £500 million and £1.5 billion (~$1.93 billion).
