GULL UAV: SHIP OPERATION
Beam or stern operated Sled LARS development
Operation of fixed-wing UAVs from vessels generally requires specialist bolt-on equipment for both launch and recovery. This imposes on a vessel physically and imposes on the operation of the ship, taking up the airspace that other aircraft need and commonly requiring the vessel to turn to windward. GULL needs none of this, instead bringing economies and extensions of capabilities.
GULL UXV sled recovery
Warrior has commenced development of a system to enable launch and recovery to/from the deck of a vessel, while under way and on any point of wind. This uses a Launch & Recovery Sled (LRSled) which remains permanently under tow once lowered from a conventional davit (either over the stern or along side). The GULL will thus release and taxi away from the ship before flight. It can land a distance ahead of a ship or taxi under its own power to an anchored ship. It will thus not impose on airspace or distract the ship from other operations, leaving the deck clear and the ships major aviation assets free while the GULL takes on much dull, dirty and dangerous work, typical of UAVs and USVs.
A Gull 68 or four Gull 34s in docking sleds will fit in the same footprint on as a standard Pacific 24 RIB