QinetiQ’s Pop-up ground-based helicopter is one of the first elements of its Combined Aerial Target Service.

Defence technology and security company QinetiQ has today released its Banshee basic aerial target and Pop-up ground-based helicopter for deployment by the UK armed forces.

The systems comprise the first two elements of QinetiQ’s Combined Aerial Target Service (CATS). The system has been developed in response to 20-year, £308 million contract awarded to QinetiQ by the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) in December 2006.

Under the deal, QinetiQ is to provide a service that meets the MoD’s unmanned sub-sonic aerial target requirements worldwide, including ground-based air defence training, aerial target services for the Royal Navy, and an air-to-air service for the RAF.

The first elements of CATS will be shipped during April, with targets sent to the Falkland Islands where they will be used to train Army ground-based air defence units. This will be followed by deployments to Manorbier in Wales later in the month and at BATUS in Canada in May.

Future CATS systems include the intermediate Voodoo aerial target which will enter into service at the start of 2009, and the Mirach advanced aerial target planned for operation in June 2009.

Mary Carver, MD of QinetiQ’s iX Managed Services sector, said:  “Over the next two decades, CATS will provide a flexible service worldwide that is key to the air defence training of the UK’s armed forces.

“This contract is a real success for QinetiQ and with the recently announced £951m firm price agreement covering our LTPA provision for the next five-years, it confirms QinetiQ’s position as a major provider of high-end managed services to UK defence and our ability to consistently deliver professional and value for money solutions more globally.”

By Natasha Piscitelli