Ministry of Defence signs £65 million deal for General Atomics Protector drones
What happened
The Ministry of Defence announced that the first production version of the General Atomics Protector RG Mk1 drone made its maiden flight on September 25, 2020. This followed an announcement that the Ministry of Defence had signed a deal with General Atomics Aeronautical Systems for the first three drones and associated support equipment, valued at £65 million (U.S. $83 million). The contract also includes options for 13 additional air vehicles and supporting equipment, valued at approximately £180 million.
From defensenews.com
Why it matters
The Protector drone is intended to replace General Atomics Reaper drones widely used by the Royal Air Force in operations in the Middle East and Afghanistan. The program faced a two-year delay imposed by the Ministry of Defence in 2017, which led to a 40 percent increase in the Protector program costs.
From defensenews.com
Who's involved
- Ministry of DefenceGovernment department that signed the contract for the drone supply.
- General Atomics Aeronautical SystemsCompany supplying the Protector drone and associated equipment to the Ministry of Defence.
- Royal Air ForceAerial warfare service branch that will adopt the Protector drone to replace older systems.
- ReaperDrone technology that the Protector is replacing in military operations.
Who could feel it
Possible knock-on effectsThese are possibilities Brind reasoned out, not predictions, and not advice. Most are not stated in any report.
- General Atomics Aeronautical SystemsSpeculative
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems could see increased revenue and sales from the contract and its options.
- Royal Air ForceSpeculative
The Royal Air Force might see changes in operational costs and increased demand for new drone systems.
- ReaperSpeculative
The Reaper drone might face reduced market demand as the Protector is adopted by the Royal Air Force.
Possible ripples
Who this could reach next, traced step by step from the reporting. Possibilities worth considering, not forecasts.- MoD drone deal boosts General Atomics' market presenceMoD drone deal boosts General Atomics' market presenceLikely
- Royal Air Force may gain new capabilities with Protector drone replacementThe Royal Air Force may gain new capabilities with Protector drone replacementLikely
- Protector drone may replace Reaper in Royal Air ForceReaper drone market demand may decline as MoD adopts ProtectorLikely
- GA-ASI's UK drone contract may increase pressure on Anduril IndustriesGA-ASI's major UK drone contract increases competitive pressure on Anduril IndustriesPossible
Keep exploring
The entities involved
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Ministry of Defence
United Kingdom government department responsible for implementing the defence policy
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General Atomics Aeronautical Systems
General Atomics company