Ahead of an upcoming deployment to the Pacific later this month, the Royal Navy has announced that the aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales will employ cargo drones for the first time—an innovation set to accelerate the transport of supplies between ships in its Carrier Strike Group. Specifically, the vessel will operate a squadron of nine Malloy T-150 drones, which will take over tasks traditionally handled by helicopters, representing a significantly more efficient and cost-effective solution.
Lieutenant Matt Parfitt, the Flight Commander of 700X Naval Air Squadron at Royal Naval Air Station Culdrose, which operates the new drones, stated: “There is a statistic from previous carrier strike deployments that shows 95 per cent of stores transferred weigh less than 50kg. They could be anything from parcels from home to a vital engineering part. (…) In the past we’d have used a helicopter if a part was urgently needed on another ship. This time we’re going to use a remotely-piloted, uncrewed system instead. We are aware that we’re trialling new things and, because it’s not been done before on this scale, the eyes of the fleet will be on us.”
Regarding technical specifications, the new drones offer a flight endurance of 20 to 40 minutes, can reach speeds of up to 60 mph, and are capable of carrying loads of up to 68 kilograms. Each drone is operated by a two-person team: one pilot to control the unit remotely and a second operator overseeing the command unit.
Notably, this technology was introduced to the Royal Navy in August of last year, following a collaboration between the Malloy company and the UK Ministry of Defence. Since then, pilots have undergone training with the platforms and developed the necessary documentation to meet regulatory requirements—all achieved within just a few months, a timeline the Navy has praised in its official communication.
As for the HMS Prince of Wales deployment, the carrier will lead Operation HIGH MAST in the Mediterranean before proceeding to the Indo-Pacific. Over 4,000 personnel from the UK’s three armed services will participate. According to local media, the ship is expected to depart Portsmouth on April 22, linking up with its Carrier Strike Group off the coast of Cornwall. The group’s escort will include the Type 45 destroyer HMS Dauntless, Type 23 frigate HMS Richmond, an Astute-class submarine, and the support vessel RFA Tidespring. Additionally, Spain’s Méndez Núñez and Canada’s Ville de Quebec frigates will join the group, and Norwegian vessels are expected to participate during parts of the deployment.
Later, the British Carrier Strike Group will transit the Suez Canal and Red Sea en route to the Indian Ocean, where it will take part in naval drills with allied nations such as the United States, India, Singapore, and Malaysia. It remains unclear whether the group will engage in operations against Houthi rebels during this phase. In July, the task force is expected to join 19 international partners for the Talisman Sabre Exercises off Australia’s coast, concluding with diplomatic port visits to Japan and India.
Images used for illustrative purposes only.
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