UK committed to developing drone capabilities on its state-of-the-art aircraft carriers

The UK is committed to developing capabilities on its two state-of-the-art aircraft carriers – HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Prince of Wales – including a strong focus on drones, the Defence Procurement Minister has said.

James Cartlidge was responding to a question in the Commons which asked if the department "will make an assessment of the potential merits of retrofitting Elizabeth Class aircraft carriers with (a) catapults, (b) additional angled decks and (c) arresting wires".

The minister responded: "The Royal Navy is committed to developing capabilities that will allow it to build combat mass, whilst remaining at the forefront of technology, and this includes a strong focus on uncrewed air systems.

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"As such, the aviation capabilities of the QEC (Queen Elizabeth Class) aircraft carriers will continue to evolve in the coming years and the operation of a wider variety of aircraft is being considered as part of a detailed analysis to scope and assess options.

Mr Cartlidge added: "The launch and recovery systems for these new capabilities is currently under review, following the recent successful trials of Mojave and Windracer."