Protest at RAF Waddington Against New High-Tech Armoured Drone
On Monday, November 13, anti-drone campaigners from the group Drone Wars rallied outside RAF Waddington, Lincolnshire, voicing their opposition to the deployment of the new high-tech, armoured drone known as the Protector. The new arrival, equipped with an extensive range of missiles and laser-guided bombs, is set to undergo numerous trial tests before being sent on assignments globally.
Protestors Concerns
The Protector has been hailed by many for its potential to mitigate the risks faced by British soldiers. However, Chris Cole, the director of the protesting group, raised questions about the implications for civilians. He expressed fears related to the rapid advancement of drone technology, noting their increasing autonomy enabled by AI. For Cole, this represents an erasure of human involvement in military operations.
"This is the first time we'll see these large systems being regularly used within the UK. We know they crash - we track the crashes. It's particularly concerning to do it in Waddington, and a lot of local people have suggested it should be tested in a less populous place," Chris stated.
Protector Drone Record
The operational history of such drones isn't without incidents. There have been multiple recorded crashes, for instance, the loss of the seventh Watchkeeper drone off the Cyprus coast in June 2022. Critics also question the secretive nature regarding the drone's actual operations and deployed locations.
Launching the Protector
Scheduled to replace the 15-year-old Reaper drone, the Protector will be made operational in 2024. It will be remotely managed from the North Kesteven station by the reformed 31 Squadron. Upon its arrival in early October, the defence procurement minister, James Cartlidge, praised the drone's modern surveillance, intelligence, and precision strike capabilities.