page_title: Aerospace industry in the United Kingdom
section_title: Civil and military UAVs and UCAVs
hierarchical_section_title: Aerospace industry in the United Kingdom / Current major projects / Civil and military UAVs and UCAVs
caption_attribution_description: English: BAE Systems HERTI at Farnborough
context_page_description: The aerospace industry of the United Kingdom is the second-largest national aerospace industry in the world and the largest in Europe, with a global market share of 12% in 2018. In 2013, the industry employed 84,000 people.
  Domestic companies with a large presence in the British aerospace industry include BAE Systems, Britten-Norman, Cobham, GKN, Hybrid Air Vehicles, Meggitt PLC, QinetiQ, Rolls Royce and Ultra Electronics. Foreign companies with a major presence include Boeing, Bombardier, Airbus, Leonardo, General Electric/GE Aviation Systems, Lockheed Martin, MBDA, Safran and Thales Group.
  Current manned aircraft in which the British aerospace industry has a major role include the AgustaWestland AW101, AW159, Airbus A220 A320 family, A330, A340, A380, A400M, BAE Hawk, Boeing 767, 777, 787, Bombardier CRJ700, Learjet 85, Britten-Norman Defender, Britten-Norman Islander, Eurofighter Typhoon, Hawker 800, Lockheed Martin C-130J Super Hercules and Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II. Current unmanned aerial vehicles in which the British aerospace industry has a major role include BAE Taranis, HAV 304 Airlander 10, QinetiQ Zephyr and Watchkeeper WK450.
context_section_description: BAE HERTI, developed by BAE Systems. It first flew in 2004 and was successfully deployed to Afghanistan on trials in 2007. An armed version, named BAE Fury, was revealed in 2008.
  BAE Mantis, a MALE UAV technology demonstrator, developed by BAE Systems, which first flew in 2009. It was hailed as the world's first fully autonomous drone by BAE Systems. Technology from it was to be used in an Anglo-French MALE UAV named Telemos, however, France effectively abandoned Telemos in 2012 after it joined a collaboration with Germany and Italy instead. The Royal Air Force has since selected the Certifiable Predator B from the U.S.-based General Atomics to fulfill its future MALE UAV requirements.
  BAE Taranis, a UCAV technology demonstrator developed by BAE Systems in partnership with Rolls-Royce, QinetiQ and GE Aviation Systems. Technology derived from it is to be used in the development of an Anglo-French Future Combat Air System that will equip the air forces of the UK and France by 2030.
  Future Combat Air System, an Anglo-French UCAV currently in development. It will use technology derived from BAE Taranis and Dassault nEUROn. It is expected to enter service by 2030.
  Hybrid Air Vehicles HAV 304 Airlander 10, a hybrid airship developed by Hybrid Air Vehicles based in Bedfordshire. It is currently the world's-largest aircraft.
  QinetiQ Zephyr, a HALE UAV developed by QinetiQ. In July 2010, it made the world's longest recorded flight of an unrefuelled unmanned aerial vehicle with a flight that lasted 336 hours, 22 minutes and 8 seconds.
  Selex ES has developed a range of small battlefield UAVs, such as the Falco and ASIO. Most of these have been developed in collaboration with Italian companies.
  Thales Watchkeeper WK450, an ISTAR UAV developed by Thales UK in partnership with Elbit Systems of Israel. It is based on the Hermes 450. The British Army plans to operate a fleet of 54 Watchkeeper UAVs. France has expressed interest in buying the system and an armed version has also been pitched to Poland.
caption: BAE Systems HERTI
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