Watchkeeper On Ex Athena Atlas

Remotely Piloted Air Systems (RPAS) are key to supporting the British Army’s ‘Future Soldier’ concept.

Written By: Written by Lt H Loxdale 47 RA

Watchkeeper has emphasised its place in the modern battlefield, as demonstrated by its successful deployment to the English Channel last year during Op DEVERAN.

With the Regiment’s continued flying of Watchkeeper in Cyprus, the next objective was to prove the concept by deploying Army RPAS to an austere environment. The intent was to develop airmanship, while finding and fighting the enemy from a tactical location that lacked key infrastructure. To achieve this, 47th Regiment Royal Artillery (47 Regt RA) deployed Watchkeeper RPAS to Keevil Airfield on Ex ATHENA ATLAS in May 2021.

As a result, Keevil Airfield pioneered many procedures for Watchkeeper deployments. It presented its own opportunities to train with no useable infrastructure. It has proven that Watchkeeper can deploy to an austere location and conduct successful sorties without the permanent ATC, hangars or station facilities normally available at RAF Boscombe Down, RAF Akrotiri or Lydd Airport.

Through rehearsals, innovation and technical support, the detachment has effectively shown that these hurdles can be overcome. Importantly, the deployment demonstrated that Watchkeeper is an expeditionary capability that can operate across the globe through the expertise of the professional aviators in 47 Regt RA.

In addition, to ensure all equipment maintenance, the Regiment’s REME Workshop trialled the use of a Forward Maintenance Facility (FMF). The FMF capability enables REME technicians to: “Work on the aircraft constantly ensuring it was ready to fly whenever needed.” LCpl Hellon, 47 Regt RA Workshop.

The FMF is an inflatable hangar that has the capacity to store unmanned aircraft. This gives an all-weather capability to deploy to any tarmacked or rough strip location. Thus, Watchkeeper’s operational reach has been significantly enhanced.

In addition to this innovative deployment model, the detachment supported multiple key exercises over Salisbury Plain Training Area (SPTA). In support of the manoeuvre units, the Regiment learned how to integrate within the Royal Artillery ‘system of systems’. For example, Watchkeeper Integration Teams (WIT) embedded with 26th Regiment Royal Artillery during Ex URBAN STRIKE, where live Watchkeeper feeds were used to find and track enemy vehicles so that the experimental Accelerated Targeting Cell could coordinate attacks. These serials culminated in an Attack Helicopter strike cross-cued by a Watchkeeper. This represented a significant achievement, proving just how effective these platforms can be when operating in a synchronised and integrated manner.

WITs also provided live Full Motion Video (FMV) to manoeuvre formations, including Headquarters 7th Infantry Brigade on Ex WESSEX STORM and the Royal School of Artillery (RSA) courses that included the Battery Commander, Fire Support Team (FST) Commander and FST Level 4 courses. Watchkeeper was able to provide accurate target information for live artillery serials to increase the speed of sensor to shoot link and provide immediate battlefield damage assessment. It was the first time this had been achieved over SPTA and was key training for Regimental pilots and Mission Commanders.

Flying from Keevil Airfield has also produced a quality portfolio of imagery products for SPTA and FTU. These included radar soaks of Copehill Down and Imber village with detailed breakdowns of likely routes, ambush points and key terrain. This was not only valuable training for the Intelligence Corps Image Analysts of Hook Troop but enabled further training and real-time products for ground units.

Overall, it has been an enormously successful summer for the professional aviators who operated Watchkeeper at Keevil Airfield that resulted in a great leap forward in training outputs. Looking ahead, Lieutenant Colonel Paul Britton MC RA, Commanding Officer of 47 Regt RA stated,

Watchkeeper unloaded from Dual Air Vehicle Container (in rear of photo) deployed at Keevil Airfield. Watchkeeper from the air..

Watchkeeper Maintenance.

“We’ve proved that we are in a strong position to take this capability forwards and deploy in an expeditionary manner anywhere in the world.”

The Regiment will continue to expand the capability to refine tactics, techniques, and procedures in expectation of future global deployments.