The X-Factor

摘要

The Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm has established a new squadron to develop the use of Remotely Piloted Air Systems from deployed warships, such as the ScanEagle Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV). The 700X Naval Air Squadron - the X denoting experimental - is based at RNAS Culdrose in Cornwall. The Navy currently employs the pilotless ScanEagle aircraft under a £30 million lease with Boeing UK subsidiary Insitu. The 'contractor-owned, contractor-operated' system has conducted intelligence gathering, surveillance and reconnaissance missions from the decks of the frigates Somerset, Northumberland and Kent, and RFA Cardigan Bay, during Gulf deployments.