Nine T-150 aircraft are currently deployed on Operation Highmast – the name of the UK Carrier Strike Group’s eight-month deployment to the Indo-Pacific and have carried out nearly 150 deck landings and flown more than 20 hours of sorties.
As HMS Prince of Wales and her escort warships made for port visits in Japan, the Malloy T-150 – an eight-bladed system operated by a crew of two able to carry up to 68kg and fly up to 60mph – was launched as part of a trial by 700X Naval Air Squadron.
Ultimately, the aim is to provide a cheap and efficient alternative to using helicopters or boat transfer to make deliveries – also freeing them up to focus on operational tasks.
Neil Appleton, CEO of BAE Systems’ Malloy Aeronautics said: "This is a very proud moment to see the T-150 delivering real benefit for the Royal Navy, supporting vital logistics operations with an easy to operate and low-cost solution. The trials demonstrate the value that Uncrewed Air Systems can bring to current, complex and costly operations."
The UK Carrier Strike Group is currently in Japan following operations in the Mediterranean, Middle East, India and Australia since deploying in April.
This milestone in the Malloy trials is a step toward the vision of a fully integrated hybrid carrier air wing. By taking some of the logistics burden, Malloy will allow our naval helicopters to concentrate on their core outputs, while delivering, rapid, more efficient resupply across the whole Strike Group.
The really exciting bit is that we then plan to incorporate these lessons to be able to use UAVs for many other roles, including options for warfightingCaptain Colin McGannity, Commander Air Group, UK Carrier Strike Group