Elbit Systems UK to Deliver UAS to the British Army

Homeland security is vital; thus, constant monitoring is crucial to ensure that cities, critical installations, and other strategic establishments and areas are safe. One efficient way for security monitoring is to use drones, which can provide surveillance 24/7.

A recent announcement stated that the UK Ministry of Defence picked Elbit Systems UK to supply the British Army with unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) or surveillance drones. The UK subsidiary of the Israel-based defense electronics company will provide five swarms of drones to the British Army’s Robotics and Autonomous Systems project. Every drone will have Elbit’s AI and machine learning-aided software, TORCH-X RAS. The system maximizes the effectiveness and efficiency of manned/unmanned teaming. In addition, it can enable synchronized autonomous operations that involve unmanned platforms — both aerial and ground — of diverse fleets.

Non-Stop Monitoring for Eight Hours

The drones can stay in the air for eight hours, surveying and passing information to every drone in the air and the control station on the ground. The data will be in the form of images, videos, and integrated mapping capabilities to provide accurate data in real-time.

The company believes the Elbit Systems drones and the capabilities of TORCH-X RAS will provide the British Army with the vital support to enhance their information gathering, which is necessary for the protection of front line soldiers.

Elbit Systems UK’s CEO, Martin Fausset, says that their company has a strong history of providing innovative unmanned aircraft system solutions, including swarm capabilities. They welcome the Future Capability Group of the UK Ministry of Defence’s order. Its extensive portfolio includes fully integrated fixed-wing vertical take-off and landing systems. Since 1996, Elbit Systems has been a leading system integrator for UAS, including tactical and mini-systems worldwide.

Elbit Systems UK will collaborate with various suppliers in related disciplines, such as communications, platforms, processing, and payloads, to ensure that they can refresh technology continuously and deliver top-notch capabilities.

Why Use Drones?

Most military operations today benefit from drones. The drones that Elbit Systems UK will deliver will be used for information gathering. In addition, drones can help in avoiding casualties and other consequences during military operations.

Unmanned drones are safer because they can gather information from remote places without putting the lives of military members at risk. The surveillance team can see the thick of the action without being in the same place. The drones can gather various data, including information on people, protection, exits, and landscape. The different types of information are helpful in mission planning.

The use of drones also helps in minimizing civilian casualties. With the information they can collect, they can plan their mission precisely, leaving no room for mistakes. Moreover, drones are a more affordable option because they do not need various hardware and require less maintenance and personnel. The army will use advanced technology and new equipment to give their missions a higher probability of success.

Drone swarming is still a new solution in which drones coordinate with each other. The number in a swarm can run in the hundreds or thousands, but they are all interlinked and constantly communicate.