The Royal Navy of Britain announced on Friday that its first full-sized, autonomous helicopter had successfully completed its maiden flight. It was designed to track subs and carry out high-risk missions in the face of rising tensions along the North Atlantic.
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The U.S. is interested in Greenland in part to increase its ability to monitor the waters used by Russian submarines and vessels, including any activities in the waters surrounding Greenland, Iceland, and Great Britain. Russia calls the idea that Moscow and Beijing are a threat to Greenland a myth. The British Navy said that the helicopter named 'Proteus' had successfully completed a "short test".
It was developed under a programme worth 60 million pounds ($80.46 millions) and it was crucial to defend Britain and NATO's allies from what they called "evolving" threats in the North Atlantic.
The navy stated that Proteus, designed and built by Leonardo, a defence and aerospace company, relies on software and sensors to interpret the environment and make decisions.
The Navy said that it was designed for anti-submarine war, sea patrols and underwater vessel tracking.
Leonardo Helicopters UK managing director Nigel Colman said: "Proteus is a significant step forward in the way maritime?aviation delivers persistence, adaptability, and reach. It can perform dull, dirty, and dangerous missions without putting operators in danger.
Proteus, a larger and more sophisticated drone, is already in use by the navy.
(source: Reuters)
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