Spirit Mosquito
British unmanned combat aerial vehicle
The Spirit Mosquito was an unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV) technology demonstrator in development by Team Mosquito in the United Kingdom. In January 2021, the aircraft was chosen as a technology demonstrator for the Royal Air Force's Lightweight Affordable Novel Combat Aircraft (LANCA) concept which was first conceptualised in 2015 by the RAF Rapid Capabilities Office.
The aircraft was designed to operate alongside manned fighter aircraft, including the Eurofighter Typhoon, Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II and BAE Systems Tempest, with a range of weapons and sensors to offer them increased protection, survivability and information. Spirit AeroSystems, which is based in Belfast, Northern Ireland, was the aircraft's prime contractor and full-scale flight trials were planned for 2023.
On 24 June 2022, the UK Ministry of Defence announced the cancellation of Project Mosquito, explaining that there were more beneficial capability and cost-effectiveness in smaller "additive capabilities" instead.
Design and development
In 2015, the RAF Rapid Capabilities Office began working on concepts for a "loyal wingman" UCAV, named the Lightweight Affordable Novel Combat Aircraft (LANCA), under the Future Combat Air System Technology Initiative (FCAS TI). LANCA was managed by, and was the technical authority of, the Ministry of Defence's Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl). In 2019, the MOD awarded contracts to three teams to provide designs for a flight demonstrator; Boeing Defence UK, Team Avenger (led by Blue Bear Systems Research) and Team Blackdawn (later Team Mosquito) (Bombardier Belfast (now Spirit AeroSystems), Callen-Lenz and Northrop Grumman UK).
In January 2021, a £30 million contract was awarded to Team Mosquito to design and manufacture a technology demonstrator. The team was led by Spirit AeroSystems Belfast and also included Northrop Grumman UK and Intrepid Minds.
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