The British Army has adopted the first Protector RG Mk1 drone
Engineers of the North American company General Atomics reported on the completion of acceptance tests of the Protector RG Mk1 drone. It was handed over to the customer in the person of the Royal Air Force of Great Britain.
The Protector RG Mk1 is a modified version of the MQ-9B SkyGuardian UAV, which was originally designed for the Royal Air Force. It is worth noting that the SkyGuardian itself is a modification of the world-famous MQ-9A Reaper attack drone.
Aviation Vice Marshal Saman Ellard, who heads the procurement division of the British Ministry of Defense, was present during the signing of the act of acceptance and handover of the aircraft. The Royal Air Force plans to use a drone it received from a North American company for personnel training. It will be operated at Waddington Air Base. According to the contract for 180 million pounds, General Atomics is obliged to transfer 13 drones to the customer. Deliveries of the Protector RG Mk1 are scheduled for next year.
The first flight of the Protector RG Mk1 took place on March 25, 2020, that is, two months after the conclusion of the contract with General Atomics. The drone is armed with Paveway IV precision bombs and Brimstone missiles. It can stay in the air continuously for 40 hours.
