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UK Unleashes MQ-9B Protector Drone for First-Ever Mission to Shadow Russian Warship
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The United Kingdom deployed its MQ-9B Protector surveillance drone on its first operational mission in British airspace, tracking a Russian warship in the English Channel for more than 10 hours alongside Royal Navy vessels.
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According to Defence Blog on November 1, the Royal Air Force (RAF) used the Protector RG1 to support the Type 45 destroyer HMS Dauntless and patrol vessel HMS Tyne as they monitored the Russian frigate Neustrashimy and accompanying merchant ships between October 1 and 14.
The operation marked the first time the British military used the Protector drone in an operational mission over UK airspace to monitor Russian naval activity.
“Protector’s first operational sorties in UK airspace demonstrate the significant value this capability brings to UK Defence,” said Wing Commander Sam Haley, officer commanding XIII Squadron.
The unarmed drone operated alongside civilian and military aircraft, providing extended surveillance coverage over the English Channel. British officials did not disclose how many flights were conducted or which sensors were used.
The Protector RG1 is Britain’s version of the US-made MQ-9B SkyGuardian, developed by General Atomics. It can remain airborne for more than 30 hours, operate at altitudes of up to 40,000 feet (12,200 meters), and conduct surveillance using infrared cameras, high-resolution video, and radar systems.
The aircraft entered RAF service in June 2025, becoming the first remotely piloted aircraft authorized to operate throughout British airspace without geographic restrictions. The mission was part of a wider British effort to monitor Russian naval movements near UK waters.
Between September 29 and October 8, Royal Navy helicopters tracked the Russian intelligence-gathering vessel Viktor Leonov near Scotland’s Outer Hebrides during a NATO military exercise involving more than 2,000 personnel from six countries.
Separately, British naval forces monitored the Russian landing ship Aleksandr Shabalin and accompanying vessels as they passed through the English Channel toward the Baltic Sea in mid-October.
According to the UK Ministry of Defence, Royal Navy operations monitoring Russian ships increased by 25% during the first seven months of 2026 compared with the same period in 2025.
The deployment comes as Britain expands its use of unmanned systems to counter Russian naval activity. In June 2026, the UK announced plans to build at least six advanced hybrid warships capable of operating aerial, surface, and underwater drones to monitor Russian movements in the North Atlantic and protect critical undersea infrastructure.
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