LONDON - The U.K. Ministry of Defence has announced that the Army's next generation of Unmanned Air System (UAS), Watchkeeper, is now fully operational in Afghanistan. This new capability is providing force protection for British troops as they prepare to draw down from Afghanistan by the end of this year.

Footage released today shows Watchkeeper carrying out surveillance tasks and gaining situational awareness via its cutting edge cameras and radar capability, a new asset for the UK's Armed Forces.

Defence Secretary, Michael Fallon, made the announcement on a visit to Kabul alongside Chief of the Defence Staff, General Sir Nicholas Houghton, who also visited Camp Bastion where he met the Army personnel and saw Watchkeeper flying operationally.

Defence Secretary Michael Fallon said: "Watchkeeper is the first Unmanned Air System developed and built in the U.K. to become operational and will be a significant surveillance and reconnaissance capability for the Army for years to come. There is no doubt that it will prove to be a battle-winning technology."

"Watchkeeper will provide real-time information for troops conducting operations on the ground, allowing them to understand better and thereby overcome threats they may face."

Before reaching this milestone, Watchkeeper, which is unarmed, underwent extensive flight trials at West Wales Airport, Parc Aberporth followed by the Army's pilots completing their training at Boscombe Down airfield. Following the handover of Camp Bastion in Afghanistan, the Unmanned Air System will return home to Wiltshire where Royal Artillery troops will continue to train with the system in a restricted airspace over Salisbury Plain.

Source: U.K. Ministry of Defence
Associated URL: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/armys-eye-in-the-sky-takes-flight-in-afghanistan