U.S. State Department has approved the Foreign Military Sale of Certifiable Predator B Remotely Piloted Aircraft to United Kingdom.
U.S. State Department has approved the Foreign Military Sale of Certifiable Predator B Remotely Piloted Aircraft to United Kingdom.
UK had requested a possible sale of up to 26 Certifiable Predator B Remotely Piloted Aircraft including 10 options to replace its current fleet of armed MQ-9 Reaper drones under the Protector Program.
The deal worth $ 1 billion also included equipment, training, and support services.
The Defense Security Cooperation Agency delivered the required certification notifying Congress of this possible sale on November 16, 2016.
The Certifiable Predator B is a variant of the MQ-9 Reaper featuring sense and avoid technology, to operate within unsegregated controlled airspace.
The aircraft features enhanced safety and reliability and will meet European airworthiness certification standards, NATO's STANAG 4671 and UK's DEFSTAN 00-970.
These certifications will enable the CPB to be operated in civilian airspace in Europe.
The CPB will also be used to support the UK’s armed forces and coalition forces engaged in current and future peacekeeping, peace-enforcing, counter-insurgent, and counter-terrorism operations.
The first CPB prototype has completed successful ground and taxi tests, initial flight testing will commence at General Atomics Gray Butte Flight Operations facility near Palmdale, California later this month.
Production conforming aircraft will fly in 2018, which will be used to complete the certification process.
