MANTIS

Mantis is an advanced technological demonstator Medium Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS).

In the UK, Mantis is aimed at satisfying all of the MOD's Deep and Persistent (D&P) intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance needs. The two-year jointly UK MOD / UK Industry funded Mantis Advanced Concept & Technology Demonstrator (ACTD) which is part of the UK Government's Operational Unmanned Aerial System (OUAS) Programme has been completed. Continuation work beyond the ACTD is on-going to investigate the development path and route to operational service of a Mantis-class UAS.

Mantis Advanced Concept & Technology Demonstrator ACTD has made a number of significant achievements that have provided evidence of the system's potential to meet the UK's future Deep & Persistent ISTAR needs: Mantis has been developed using BAE Systems' rapid engineering processes enabling it to go from concept to first flight in 19 months.

• First flight was achieved on 21st October 2009.
• Operational mission system demonstrated and operated in a testing, dynamic, composite set of mission scenarios.
• The high levels of autonomy proved that operator footprint is very low compared to other systems in its class without compromising very high levels of operational effectiveness.
• Utilised exacting and consistent design standards and being flown under the MOD airworthiness certification processes resulted in an effective trials outcome.
• Designed with the same safety principles as a manned aircraft and, being twin engined, also maximises its potential to fly in UK controlled air space.
• Robustness and utility of the Mantis system demonstrated via rapid turnaround between sorties.
• True open architecture system demonstrated: a flexible and adaptable payload and mission system - able to easily integrate a wide variety of sensors and weaponry from best of class suppliers.
• Effectively employed state-of-the-art command and control, planning and sensor analysis tools used across the BAE Systems Global UAS family.
• Produced the largest fully bonded composite assembly in Europe, wing carry-through of greater than 15 metres.
• Largest known twin engine UAV to be flown to date.
• First all electric aircraft demonstrated from design, manufacture, test and flight.
• Mantis has a wing span over 20 metres and a fuselage length of over 10 metres.

Under a contract awarded by the UK MOD in July 2008, BAE Systems was appointed as the industry lead and prime contractor of this jointly funded project to develop a world-class ACTD UAS called Mantis.

BAE Systems formed a broad team for the ACTD to leverage the best capability from the UK and overseas industry and has been working alongside Rolls-Royce, QinetiQ, GE Aviation, Meggitt and Selex Galileo.

The initial technology for the project was built on the BAE Systems funded Raven, Corax and HERTI programmes and many other technology de-risking activities undertaken under both industry and MOD funding.

Building on the success of the other BAE Systems UAS programme, Mantis aims to push the boundaries by providing advancements in system complexity, integration and autonomous mission systems operations, demonstrating the feasibility and utility of UAVs.

Mantis design principles are based on a modular open systems architecture - enabling the system to keep pace with emerging technology and avoiding big bang updates.

The system is able to deliver a wide range of sensor outputs and weapon options in the typical dull and dirty operational environments. Mantis could potentially undertake a number of other intelligence and information gathering roles such as SIGINT and Maritime roles.