The UK’s Military Aviation Authority has granted a Military Type Certificate (MTC) to the Royal Air Force’s Protector RG Mk1 uncrewed aircraft, also known as the MQ-9B. This certification confirms that the aircraft has successfully undergone a comprehensive airworthiness evaluation, affirming its safety for operation without geographic limitations, including in densely populated areas.
This decision, made on 29 April, marks a ground-breaking achievement for large unmanned aircraft systems. It represents a significant milestone for the UK and a pivotal moment in the evolution of unmanned aircraft technology. GA-ASI is the inaugural manufacturer of large unmanned aircraft to obtain a MTC, having demonstrated strict adherence to STANAG 4671, the NATO standard for the airworthiness of unmanned aircraft systems.
Since the launch of the MQ-9B in January 2014, achieving the MTC has been a primary objective for GA-ASI. The company enhanced its established UAS platform, the MQ-9A, by integrating performance-boosting features while ensuring compliance with NATO’s STANAG 4671 Edition 2 airworthiness standards.
To satisfy these stringent criteria, the aircraft includes several enhancements that are not present in other large UAS, such as lightning protection, fire protection, anti-icing systems, and a design approach that is tolerant to fatigue and damage. All flight-critical software and associated equipment were developed in accordance with the stringent standards of DO-178C/254.
Furthermore, mission software is distinctly separated from flight-critical software. These attributes not only ensure the aircraft’s airworthiness but also significantly improve its reliability and operational flexibility, surpassing that of other UAS.
“Earning an MTC for MQ-9B was a herculean effort and a seminal achievement for our company,” said GA-ASI CEO Linden Blue. “We invested over $500 million as part of an 11-year effort to develop an unmanned aircraft that meets NATO’s rigorous airworthiness standards. This included three flight test aircraft, full component and system-level environmental testing to DO-160G and applicable Mil-Standards, full scale static test airframe test to ultimate ground and flight loads, bird strike, hail protection and full-scale fatigue testing to three lifetimes (3x 40,000 notional aircraft flight hours = 120,000 hours total).”
“Our engineers developed over 140,000 pages of detailed technical data verifying that the MQ-9B met those demanding requirements. I congratulate our team for this outstanding accomplishment, and I know our customers need this type certification, which will open civil airspace for their flight operations.”
The MQ-9B is recognized as the most sophisticated medium altitude, long endurance unmanned aerial system (UAS) globally. It encompasses the SkyGuardian and SeaGuardian variants, along with the Protector utilized by the Royal Air Force (RAF). Beyond the United Kingdom, GA-ASI has received orders for the MQ-9B from Belgium, Canada, Poland, the Japan Coast Guard, the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force, Taiwan, India, and the United States Air Force to assist the Special Operations Command. Furthermore, the MQ-9B has played a role in several US Navy exercises, such as Northern Edge, Integrated Battle Problem, RIMPAC, and Group Sail.
“Achieving the award of a first in class Military Type Certificate has required years of dedication and perseverance and is a testament to the hard work of all involved. It is a privilege to be the first to be awarded an MTC for the Protector Air System,” said Gp. Capt. Neil Venables, Type Airworthiness Authority and holder of the Protector Type Certificate.
The RAF continues to take delivery of new Protector aircraft at their home at RAF Waddington. The UK has 10 aircraft of the 16 it has ordered.
Protector RG Mk 1
Protector RG Mk 1 (MQ-9B) is the successor to Reaper (MQ-9A) and is the next generation of remotely piloted medium-altitude, long endurance (MALE) aircraft. The RAF will deploy Protector in wide-ranging armed Intelligence, Surveillance, Targeting and Reconnaissance (ISTAR) operations where its ability to fly consistently for up to 40 hours will offer the RAF a vastly improved armed ISTAR capability.
Regarded as a significant advancement in the capabilities of the RAF, this state-of-the-art platform can be operated globally from RAF Waddington. The Protector is designed to navigate through congested, unsegregated airspace, utilizing its innovative ‘detect and avoid’ technology.
It features automatic take-off and landing capabilities, enhancing its operational flexibility and significantly reducing its deployed footprint compared to other remotely piloted systems like the Reaper. The aircraft is equipped with an advanced array of sensors, including a High-Definition Electro-Optical and Infra-Red (IR) camera, which, along with its endurance, delivers exceptional persistent reconnaissance across the electromagnetic spectrum.
The Protector is poised to respond swiftly and provide commanders with operational flexibility, enabling it to undertake a wide range of strategic missions, from close air support to disaster relief, as needed. Additionally, the aircraft will utilize advanced data links and be armed with next-generation, low-collateral precision strike munitions, including the UK-manufactured Brimstone missile (MBDA) and the Paveway IV Laser Guided Bomb (Raytheon UK). Alongside MBDA and Raytheon, twelve other UK firms are involved in the MQ-9B programme.
