Altran Praxis adds support to Watchkeeper programme

Altran Praxis, the international specialist in embedded and critical systems engineering, announced on 8 July the successful completion of a major milestone in its ongoing project to provide safety support to Thales UK for the Watchkeeper tactical unmanned air vehicle (UAV).

Watchkeeper completed its first unmanned flight in UK airspace on 14 April 2010 at West Wales Airport near Aberporth. The first flight saw the vehicle complete a 20 minute flight from the airfield before landing successfully under automatic control.

The Watchkeeper project, which commenced in 2006, saw Altran Praxis take the lead on the system level safety engineering for the air vehicle, ground system and ancillary equipment, delivering safety programme management and human factors safety consultancy.

Once deployed, Watchkeeper will provide the UK armed forces with an essential intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition and reconnaissance (ISTAR) capability based on a tactical UAV system and will be a key component of the UK's drive for Network Enabled Capability (NEC).

Altran Praxis used its innovative electronic safety case technology to develop the safety case for the vehicle, minimising the cost and time of safety argument development and simplifying scrutiny by assessors and approvers for the Watchkeeper system.

‘We’re pleased with the successful completion of Watchkeeper’s first UK flight here in the UK. Its development will deliver the UK armed forces with a key intelligence tool which will help increase capabilities during operations. Altran Praxis is a key member of our Watchkeeper programme team, bringing to the project its wealth of industry knowledge in safety engineering and management,’ said Eddie Awang, Watchkeeper Programme Director, Thales UK.

‘Altran Praxis’ team of experts has been instrumental in building the safety case throughout the course of the project, enabling us to secure clearances for the first Watchkeeper unmanned flight in the UK.’

Keith Williams, Altran Praxis Managing Director, said: ‘The Watchkeeper flight is a major milestone in UAV development in the UK, and we are really pleased to have helped Thales achieve this. The delivery of a vehicle like Watchkeeper demands complex engineering, at the heart of which sits vital safety management which is essential in this advanced, unmanned vehicle.

‘Our embedded safety and critical systems engineering skills perfectly complement Thales UK’s capabilities, delivering practical benefits to UK military operations. We are extremely pleased to have partnered with Thales UK in the development of this complex and innovative project.’

The flight is the first milestone in a long-term programme to demonstrate that the Watchkeeper system meets the rigorous safety criteria required to fly UAVs initially in segregated airspace in the UK. 2010 will also see the opening of a Watchkeeper training facility based in Larkhill, and the continuation of the technical field trials at Parc Aberporth.

Source: Altran Praxis