The Royal Navy and British Army have extensively tested a domestically produced One-Way Effector (OWE) Uncrewed Air System (UAS), designed for use in both maritime and land operations, for the first time.
The Nyan OWE, designed and built by BAE Systems’ entity Callen-Lenz, is a small uncrewed aircraft with a 2.9-metre wingspan, designed to provide a precision strike capability.
Earlier this month, it was launched from the Navy’s experimentation ship XV Patrick Blackett off the south coast of England during Exercise Neptune Reach which saw the Royal Navy, British Army and Royal Air Force working together under Project Vantage - a programme focused on accelerating the test and evaluation of maritime attack drones.
In May, the army put Nyan through its paces during Exercise Spring Storm in Estonia, as part of the UK's deep fire capability in support of NATO allies.
Britain is serious about the transition to a Hybrid Navy with new, powerful drones at the heart of the Royal Navy. By bringing together Army and Navy expertise to field strike drones from a ship at sea, we are accelerating the capabilities our forces need to stay ahead of our adversaries.Luke Pollard MP, Minister for Defence Readiness and Industry
Nyan is already operationally proven on land, with more than 1,000 units produced. Now it has successfully demonstrated its ability to add real value in a maritime environment too. These trials reflect strong collaboration across the services and industry, highlighting the pace at which we can deliver innovation to advance the UK's integrated, multi-domain defence capability.Matt Foster, CEO of BAE Systems’ Callen-Lenz
The most recent trials saw a launcher system capable of launching OWE drones at up to 55 metres a second fitted to the ship's deck to test how Nyan could best be operated from a moving naval platform.
The Royal Navy capability team and the Air and Space Warfare Centre are now analysing the results, with the potential for further trials aboard HMS Queen Elizabeth.
This trial makes a significant step forward in delivering Maritime One-Way Effectors at pace. Under Project Vantage we are planning to integrate these capabilities into the Hybrid Navy, combining crewed platforms with uncrewed systems to expand reach, increase tempo and enhance lethality.
Working closely with our army colleagues, this activity demonstrates how we are accelerating Atlantic Strike concepts into practical, deployable capabilities of the fleet.Lieutenant Commander David Burton, Maritime One Way Effectors Capability Sponsor, Royal Navy
These latest trials with Nyan form part of BAE Systems’ expanding portfolio of uncrewed air systems being produced through its FalconWorks advanced research and technology hub.
Building on more than 25 years of experience in uncrewed and autonomous systems, the Company is delivering a range of products capable of working alongside both current and future frontline platforms to provide affordable combat mass.