RCO defends Project Mosquito cancellation, claiming investment stopped making sense
Concept art showing the UK's Lightweight Affordable Novel Combat Aircraft (Image: UK MoD)
Despite the UK MoD awarding Spirit Aerosystems a Project Mosquito Phase 2 design and development contract for a low-cost, uncrewed fighter aircraft valued at £30 million, the project has been cancelled without a demonstrator being built.
The Rapid Capabilities Office (RCO) in the UK RAF has told Shephard that the surprising decision to cancel Project Mosquito was based on continued investment in the effort no longer making ‘a huge amount of sense’.
Targeted at developing a low-cost, UK-made uncrewed fighter aircraft, Project Mosquito would have seen a Lightweight Affordable Novel Combat Aircraft (LANCA) demonstrator, designed by lead contractor Spirit Aerosystems Belfast and partners Northrop Grumman and Intrepid Minds, make its first flight in 2023.
However, following a detailed review, the MoD abruptly ended those plans when it announced on 24 June that the project will not move beyond a
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