UAS Albatros in activities for defence and security on sea waters

Abstract

Together with publishing, by the Armament Inspectorate of Ministry of National Defense, the tactical program UAS Albatros of short range, vertical take-off and landing, for the Navy, employees of the Polish Naval Academy (PNA) with the staff of the Lublin University of Technology (LUT) began the analytical and conceptual phase. The result was development of UAS usage assumptions in activities for the Navy in the field of reconnaissance as well as creating a picture of the situation in the marine area (Maritime Situational/Domain Awareness MSA/MDA). As part of extended applications, the so-called dual use was indicated for other representatives of maritime state services (mainly the Border Guard) and commercial entities (Lotos Petrobaltic S.A.), as potential recipients of UAS (as part of conducting protection of marine critical infrastructure facilities CI).

The impact potential of the Navy significantly increased in recent years. It is a result of obtaining modern controlled anti-ship missiles, both mounted on the decks of warships (missile RBS-15 Mk 3 on the warship decks of 660 project), and included in Marine Rocket Unit, MRU (2 Coastal Combat Squadrons CCS – equipped with Kongsberg NSM rockets). What is important from the usage of combat abilities point of view, range of both types of rockets of about 200 km significantly exceeds the range of detection of mediums at the disposal of ships (carriers of rockets) as well as MRU.

The article presents author’s opinion on possibilities of usage of UAS vertical take-off operating from the decks of warships and coasting in the Navy. The increase in the ability to conduct the diagnosis (RADINT, SIGINT, ELINT/COMINT) should be considered as key issue, also realization of tasks as part of extending the possibilities of using UAS by other services.