Drone Launches From Smaller Warships? General Atomics Makes It Possible

We’re going to see drone launches from smaller warships, as American defence company General Atomics has introduced a new electromagnetic catapult designed to launch unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) from a variety of naval vessels.

This innovative system, known as the Electric Unmanned Aircraft Launch System (EUALS), is aimed at improving drone deployment capabilities in constrained environments on both land and sea.

Addressing the Need for Compact UAV Launch Solutions

Gary Hopper, Vice President of Strategic Development at General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems, highlighted the increasing demand for such technology.

“As you know, with the proliferation of RPAS [Remotely Piloted Aircraft System] worldwide, whether on land or sea, we’ve been asked to look at the launch of RPAS in very small footprint from Navy vessels. It’s been looked at primarily Europe right now. Possibly over in the Indo-Pacific area too,” Hopper told Naval News.

Unlike the electromagnetic catapults used on Ford-class aircraft carriers, this new system is designed for minimal space usage, requiring only 1.2 by 0.6 metres of free deck space and a 22-metre runway.

Potential Deployment on NATO and Allied Warships

General Atomics has proposed installing the system on several warships, including the Royal Navy’s Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carriers and Japan’s Izumo-class helicopter carriers. Other NATO nations are also being considered for potential adoption.

“We are considering other options, other NATO countries. I would say that this is more of a NATO initiative to consider the possibility of installing them on the ship. Although we are using this particular ship, there are other ships, again, similar, of similar size. In fact, this concerns a takeoff distance of 22 meters, which is not very long,” Hopper explained.

The company has already tested UAV operations on the UK’s HMS Prince of Wales (R09) and South Korea’s ROKS Dokdo (LPH-6111) in 2023 and 2024, respectively.

General Atomics Introduces Air-Launched Strike Missile

In addition to the new catapult system, General Atomics has revealed the design of its first air-launched Strike Missile. However, details regarding its size, payload, and range remain classified.

The missile is being developed alongside the Pentagon’s initiative to produce a low-cost, easily manufactured cruise missile, with a target price of no more than $150,000 per unit.

With these advancements, General Atomics continues to expand its role in providing cutting-edge drone and missile technology for modern warfare.