UK launches post-Mosquito ‘drone’ effort

The UK has launched an effort to develop and bring into service unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) at a faster pace than the recently cancelled Mosquito ‘loyal wingman’ programme, with the Ministry of Defence (MoD) announcing on 31 October that an industry day is to be held in the near future.

The ‘Rapid Capabilities Office and Air Capability Industry Engagement: Low-Cost Uncrewed Air Systems (LANCA Follow-On)’ project is being billed as a lessons learned endeavour, building on the Project Mosquito effort that was canned in June, as well as the Project Alvina swarming drone programme, and the MoD’s wider unmanned aircraft system (UAS) experimentation efforts.