Strategic Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (RPAS) Managed Service

The Clandestine Channel Threat Command (CCTC) leads the overall response to clandestine entry to the UK. It is tasked with ending the viability of the small boats route as a means of entering the UK and with preventing other forms of high-risk clandestine entry. The overarching requirement is that the strategic RPAS service must be safe and lawful to operate in UK airspace from UK airfields. As such, the people, platform, and wider system must have full regulatory approval to operate in the UK. This requirement will need to be delivered via a managed service that provides an enduring airframe operational capability. The requirement for RPAS platforms, rather than manned aircraft, is a product of both the known utility of these systems, and a parallel requirement to utilise the platform for future Operational Experimentation with partner agencies to explore the potential to expand these technologies into other operational domains.

Aerial surveillance is required as part of a wider Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance package to support decision making and the tasking and coordination of operational assets; and to collect high-quality footage of criminality to support potential prosecutions.

The minimum criteria for the managed service are:

1. Must meet all regulatory requirements (CAA, OFCOM, etc) and be capable of flying beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS);
2. Must be capable of reliably detecting, identifying, and classifying a broad range of targets during day and night operations, in varying weather conditions, over a wide area, in the maritime environment. This includes the detection of people, vehicles, and vessels;
3. Must be fitted with detect and avoid capability acceptable to CAA to facilitate operations in unsegregated airspace where necessary.
4. Must have the ability to record high-quality full motion video (FMV) to support criminal justice proceedings;
5. Must have the ability to move rapidly between tracks of interest (>90kmh);
6. A live FMV downlink to the multiple locations;
7. A liaison officer to facilitate dynamic tasking;
8. Individual sorties should last at least 16 hours (take-off to landing), up to approximately 4000 hours per annum per task line.

Home Office requires a supplier who can provide this managed service to achieve the required capability within 4 months from the date of contract award which is anticipated in Q4 2022 with a total anticipated contract duration of 24 months. Suppliers who can offer a solution and provide the required services are requested to register their interest directly with the Buyer named below and to register as supplier on the RM6235 Space-Enabled and Geospatial Services (link provided below). The Home Office does not guarantee that a procurement will be launched and the Home Office is not responsible for any costs or expenses incurred by any potential supplier in registering their interest.