UK carrier Firecrest deployment sees navy develop new Malloy UAV capabilities

A Malloy T-150B UAV operates from HMS Prince of Wales during Operation ‘Firecrest' in June 2026. (UK MoD/Crown Copyright)

The UK Royal Navy's (RN's) carrier strike group (CSG) deployment into the North Atlantic has allowed testing of its Malloy Aeronautics T-150B heavy-lift UAV.

As the unmanned element of the CSG's airwing, T-150B provides logistics support, delivering resupply across the CSG of payloads up to 60 kg. Routinely, these are carried via a clip fitting on the UAV's underside.

However – during the CSG's current Operation ‘Firecrest' deployment, off Norway – the UAV has been fitted with a 15 m, drop-down cable. This enables the 60 kg payloads to be delivered without the UAV landing onboard the vessel it is delivering to, a representative of 700X Naval Air Squadron (the unit responsible for developing and operating the navy's UAV technologies) told Janes , speaking from the Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales , as the CSG sailed on ‘Firecrest' in late June 2026.

Using the cable, larger sized-payloads can be moved (although the weight carried remains the same). Additionally, it means trained 700X personnel do not need to be onboard ships to support landing and launch. The testers found this could mean easier deliveries to non-UK NATO ships, and it demonstrates good cold weather performance.

During the deployment, 700X has also tested the T-150B in the search-and-rescue (SAR) role, using it to drop life-rafts and life-jackets in the water. This can be done using the clip or cable fittings. This was the first time the navy has tested on deployment the ability to use UAVs in the SAR role. It is continuing to test the capability, the representative said.