Project Vixen
{{Short description|UK Royal Navy program}}
Project Vixen is the name of a Royal Navy programme examining the use of fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) from its two aircraft carriers. The project likely draws its name from the de Havilland Sea Vixen. The project is part of the navy's wider Future Maritime Aviation Force (FMAF) strategy to increase the use of uncrewed systems.{{cite news |title=The Royal Navy has ambitious plans for its Future Maritime Aviation Force |url=https://www.navylookout.com/the-royal-navy-has-ambitious-plans-for-its-future-maritime-aviation-force/ |access-date=11 January 2025 |work=NavyLookout |date=2 June 2023}}
Background
The Royal Navy operates two aircraft carriers of the {{sclass|Queen Elizabeth|aircraft carrier|0}}, {{HMS|Queen Elizabeth|R08}} and {{HMS|Prince of Wales|R09}}. Both of these ships feature a short take-off and vertical landing (STOVL) configuration which means they are limited to operating STOVL aircraft, such as the Lockheed Martin F-35B Lightning II, tiltrotor aircraft, or helicopters. This has presented the Royal Navy little choice in aircraft to undertake air-to-air refuelling, carrier on-board delivery and airborne early warning missions, which are better suited to heavier catapult-assisted but arrested recovery (CATOBAR) aircraft.{{cite news |last1=Majumdar |first1=Dave |title=New Carrier, New Fighters: The F-35B Is Now Aboard Britain's Queen Elizabeth Aircraft Carrier |url=https://nationalinterest.org/blog/buzz/new-carrier-new-fighters-f-35b-now-aboard-britain%E2%80%99s-queen-elizabeth-aircraft-carrier-32887 |access-date=2 April 2021 |work=The National Interest |date=5 October 2018}}{{cite news |title=Cats, traps and claptrap. Why the Royal Navy's new aircraft carriers operate VSTOL aircraft |url=https://www.navylookout.com/cats-traps-and-claptrap-why-the-royal-navys-new-aircraft-carriers-operate-vstol-aircraft/ |work=Navy Lookout |date=19 October 2019}} Fixed-wing UAVs, however, are typically lighter than conventional aircraft and, due to this, they have been considered for these missions by the Royal Navy. In 2012, speaking on the behalf of the Ministry of Defence (MOD), Defence Minister, Philip Dunne, stated publicly that he expected the Royal Navy to utilise UAVs from the Queen Elizabeth-class "at some point during their 50-year lifespans".{{cite news |title=Unmanned Air Vehicles |url=https://www.theyworkforyou.com/wrans/?id=2012-11-26d.129541.h&s=aircraft+carriers+unmanned#g129541.q0 |access-date=31 March 2021 |work=They Work For You |date=25 November 2012}} When questioned about the prospect again, in 2016, another Defence Minister, Earl Howe, stated that the Royal Navy viewed them as an "operational advantage", adding that the Queen Elizabeth-class had extensive flight decks, hangars and engineering support facilities to accommodate them.{{cite news |title=Aircraft Carriers: Unmanned Air Vehicles |url=https://www.theyworkforyou.com/wrans/?id=2016-02-25.HL6440.h&s=aircraft+carriers+unmanned |access-date=31 March 2021 |work=They Work For You |date=2 March 2016}} He also revealed that the Royal Navy had evaluated capability concept demonstrators with Joint Forces Command in 2015.{{cite web |title=Aircraft Carriers: Unmanned Air Vehicles |url=https://www.theyworkforyou.com/wrans/?id=2015-07-20.HL1670.h&s=aircraft+carriers+unmanned |website=They Work For You |access-date=31 March 2021}} In January 2021, it was reported that the Royal Navy was seeking a heavy lift UAV for the aircraft carriers to assist with logistics.{{cite news |title=Royal Navy looking for heavy lift drone |url=https://ukdefencejournal.org.uk/royal-navy-looking-for-heavy-lift-drone/ |access-date=2 April 2021 |work=UK Defence Journal |date=1 January 2021}}
Overview
On 24 March 2021, Project Vixen was first revealed to the public as a programme to evaluate the use of fixed-wing UAVs from the Queen Elizabeth-class.{{cite web |title=Maritime Enterprise Planning Group |url=https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/975455/20210303-MAvn-MEPG_Slides-FINAL-O.pdf |website=GOV.UK |access-date=2 April 2021}} The programme is reportedly examining their use in strike and air-to-air refuelling missions.{{cite news |last1=Lye |first1=Harry |title=Royal Navy Project Vixen exploring potential Carrier UAS |url=https://www.naval-technology.com/news/royal-navy-project-vixen-exploring-potential-carrier-uas/ |access-date=31 March 2021 |work=Naval Technology |date=24 March 2021}}
Under Project Ark Royal, the Royal Navy is planning to install catapults and arrestor equipment to both aircraft carriers.{{cite news |last1=Allison |first1=George |title=Project Ark Royal – Plans for angled decks and drones |url=https://ukdefencejournal.org.uk/project-ark-royal-plans-for-angled-decks-and-drones/ |access-date=11 January 2025 |work=UK Defence Journal |date=18 November 2023}} In March 2021, the MOD also issued a Request For Information (RFI) to the defence industry for electromagnetic catapults and arrestor cables capable of launching and recovering aircraft with a maximum weight of {{convert|24,948|kg|lb}} and {{convert|21,319|kg|lb}}, respectively. The RFI also specified a need to install the system to the aircraft carriers within three{{endash}}five years.{{cite news |title=Electromagnetic Catapults For Carriers Sought By UK Royal Navy |url=https://aviationweek.com/defense-space/aircraft-propulsion/electromagnetic-catapults-carriers-sought-uk-royal-navy |access-date=31 March 2021 |work=Aviation Week |date=1 March 2021}}{{cite news |last1=Lye |first1=Harry |title=Royal Navy seeking information on cats and traps to launch drones |url=https://www.naval-technology.com/features/uk-carrier-cats-and-traps/ |access-date=31 March 2021 |work=Naval Technology |date=9 March 2021}} Due to being somewhat underpowered for manned fighter aircraft, like the F-35C, the system is more likely to be used for UAV's.
According to an official Royal Navy publication, titled Future Maritime Aviation Force, which was originally published in December 2020, the Royal Navy aims to replace its helicopter-based airborne early warning (AEW) platform, the Merlin HM2 Crowsnest, with a fixed-wing UAV, currently known as Vixen, by 2030. The Royal Navy also expects to utilise Vixen in surveillance, air-to-air refueling, electronic warfare and strike roles.{{cite news |last1=Allison |first1=George |title=Royal Navy looking at fixed-wing carrier based drone for AEW |url=https://ukdefencejournal.org.uk/royal-navy-looking-at-fixed-wing-carrier-based-drone-for-aew/ |access-date=7 April 2021 |work=UK Defence Journal |date=2 April 2021}}
In September 2021, the Royal Navy launched a fixed-wing UAV from an aircraft carrier for the first time when a Qinetiq Banshee Jet 80+ was launched from the deck of {{HMS|Prince of Wales|R09|6}}. The demonstration was made under a separate project, named Project Vampire, to evaluate how lightweight fixed-wing UAVs can be integrated onto the aircraft carriers. The aircraft, which is a target drone by design able to carry a sensor and weapon payload, was launched via a catapult and recovered by parachute.{{cite news |title=Drones launched from HMS Prince of Wales during landmark demonstration |url=https://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/news-and-latest-activity/news/2021/september/29/210929-prince-of-wales-drones |access-date=27 October 2021 |agency=Royal Navy |date=29 September 2021}}{{cite news |title=Royal Navy Is Experimenting With Launching Jet-Powered Drones From Its New Carriers |url=https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/42587/a-british-aircraft-carrier-has-launched-jet-drones-for-the-first-time |access-date=27 October 2021 |work=The Drive |date=30 September 2021}} The larger W Autonmous Systems UAV and General Atomics Mojave were also successfully trialed in September and November 2023, respectively.{{cite news |title=Royal Navy: Aircraft drone makes history landing on Royal Navy carrier at sea |url=https://windracers.com/royal-navy-aircraft-drone-makes-history-landing-on-royal-navy-carrier-at-sea/ |access-date=11 January 2025 |work=Windracers |date=8 September 2023}}{{cite news |title=U.K. Aircraft Carrier HMS Prince of Wales Launches, Recovers Mojave Drone |url=https://news.usni.org/2023/11/17/u-k-aircraft-carrier-hms-prince-of-wales-launches-recovers-mojave-drone |access-date=11 January 2025 |work=United States Naval Institute |date=17 November 2023}}
=Potential designs=
In 2015, the RAF launched its Lightweight Affordable Novel Combat Aircraft (LANCA) programme to deliver a fixed-wing UCAV to augment its fighter aircraft. The Spirit Mosquito, developed by Team Mosquito, was selected as a technology demonstrator for this programme. Vixen was likely to be derived from LANCA or even be identical to it; in July 2020, RAF Air Chief Marshall Sir Michael Wigston stated: “The RAF envisions an aircraft derived from LANCA’s Mosquito phase being used on the Royal Navy’s aircraft carriers alongside F-35B Lightnings”.{{cite news |title=Cats, traps and UAS – the Royal Navy considers options for carrier-launched drones |url=https://www.navylookout.com/cats-traps-and-uas-the-royal-navy-considers-options-for-carrier-launched-drones/ |access-date=19 September 2021 |work=NavyLookout |date=14 April 2021}} However, on 24 June 2022, the MOD announced the cancellation of Project Mosquito due to other "more beneficial" and cost-effective solutions being available. It is currently unknown how this affects Project Vixen.{{cite news |last1=Allison |first1=George |title=Mosquito drone project swatted |url=https://ukdefencejournal.org.uk/mosquito-drone-project-swatted/ |access-date=25 June 2022 |work=UK Defence Journal |date=25 June 2022}}
Royal Navy briefings have used the MQ-28 Ghost Bat, adapted with a tail hook necessary for carrier-borne recovery, as a representation of Vixen in service.{{cite news |title=Mojave RPAS Flies From HMS Prince of Wales Aircraft Carrier |url=https://theaviationist.com/2023/11/21/mojave-rpas-hms-pow/ |access-date=10 January 2025 |work=The Avationist |date=10 January 2025}} In July 2024, General Atomics Aeronautical Systems proposed its Gambit 5 UCAV.{{cite news |title=General Atomics proposes its Gambit UCAV concept for Royal Navy's aircraft carriers |url=https://www.navylookout.com/general-atomics-proposes-its-gambit-ucav-concept-for-qec-class-aircraft-carriers/ |access-date=10 January 2025 |work=NavyLookout |date=24 July 2024}}