U.K. Extends UAS Support Contract

Thales said the U.K. Ministry of Defence (MoD) has extended its H-450 unmanned air system (UAS) contract to provide intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition and reconnaissance (ISTAR) support to U.K. forces on current operations.

The contract begins in July and will run through to 2011, when the H-450 UAS will be replaced by the Watchkeeper UAS.

The H-450 ISTAR service provided by Thales began in July 2007 in response to an Urgent Operational Requirement (UOR) contract issued by the MoD. The contract is being fulfilled by Thales U.K. through a ‘fly-by-the-hour’ agreement originally signed in June 2007. It included the provision of H-450 air vehicles, training of staff, contractor logistic support and program management services.

Since being deployed in mid-2007, the H-450 UAS has flown more than 19,000 hours, Thales said.