Thales MAGIC ATOLS

An automated landing and take off system

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Think Defence

Think Defence hopes to start sensible conversations about UK defence issues, no agenda or no campaign but there might be one or two posts on containers, bridges and mexeflotes!

This Post Has 7 Comments

  1. The Other Chris

    These kind of systems are the Secret Sauce that make the UAV integration practical.

  2. WiseApe

    Thanks for the links TOC. The VTOL nature of TU150 should at least rate a look from RN; I find it hard to imagine ScanEagle/Integrator being recovered by that “sky-hook” method on a ship; in my experience they tend to bob about a bit, and even been known to corkscrew on occasion. Have any of those ScanEagle been lost at sea?

  3. Think Defence

    Wiseape, the Scan Eagle was originally designed for use with tuna fishing boats i.e. specifically designed for shipborne launch and recovery

  4. WiseApe

    @TD – Really?! Astonishing, not least that tuna fishing boats should be interested in situational awareness. Never knew there was so much money in fishing. Any idea on how they were/are used?

  5. WiseApe

    @TD – thanks for this; I followed the links to the Insitu website and watched the Scan Eagle video. The only at sea recovery it showed was by a small boat (looked like a fishing boat, so may have been one of your tuna fishermen) on an absolute flat calm sea – possibly a lake or in a sheltered bay judging by the background scenery.

    I recall Scan Eagle trials carried out by a T23, I think in around 2005/6 (?) – my recollection is that the Scan Eagles were launched from the frigate but recovered ashore. I remain unconvinced with the proposed at sea recovery method – the VTOL option looks more practical to me for shipborne use. And I’m a CATOBAR fan!

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