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The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) is exploring potential future airborne early warning solutions to operate from the Royal Navy’s pair of Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carriers.
The solution is sought for the navy’s carrier strike groups, comprising the aircraft carrier, support vessels, escort frigates, and escort destroyers.
According to MoD requirements, the system should provide persistent 24-hour surveillance and sufficient warning of both air and surface threats such as anti-ship guided weapons and strike aircraft.
The Royal Navy’s Crowsnest airborne surveillance and control, mounted on Merlin helicopters, is set for retirement at the end of 2029, only five years after achieving full operational capability.
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Possible Platform
The carrier platform for the future airborne early warning system has not been decided on yet.
However, it could be an unmanned aerial vehicle such as the General Atomics MQ1C Mojave short takeoff and landing (STOL) unmanned aerial system (UAS), which was tested on board aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales in 2023.
Additionally, an STOL-capable MQ-9B UAS was also announced for development by General Atomics in 2022.
Both the General Atomics aircraft could be mounted with the future airborne early warning system. They would provide a wider radar horizon than helicopters due to higher altitude.
The British carriers lack CATOBAR (catapult assisted take-off barrier arrested recovery), which allows an aircraft carrier to launch and receive bigger manned and unmanned aircraft.
Because of that, the service is without traditional AWACS systems such as the E-2 Hawkeye.
Each of the vessels operates a maximum of 36 F-35Bs, capable of short take-off and vertical landing (STOVL).
Under the Future Maritime Aviation Force concept, the Royal Navy intends to move from STOVL to STOL, then to short takeoff but arrested recovery (STOBAR), and then to CATOBAR.
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Expected Contract
“The purpose of this market research event is to research the skills, technologies, and products the marketplace has to offer around de-risking development of the Carrier Strike Airborne Early Warning System,” an MoD request for information reads.
Responses are sought by May 6, with a follow-on tender expected by January 1, 2026.
An eventual contract is expected to be awarded in January 2027, with completion in May 2032.
The contract’s estimated value will be between 500 million and 1.5 billion pounds ($654 million and $1.93 billion).