Turnkey kit converts commercial ships into drone carriers

The concept would allow commercial ships to be converted into carriers for dronesElbit Systems 1/4 The concept would allow commercial ships to be converted into carriers for dronesElbit Systems 2/4 A Hermes drone in flightElbit Systems 3/4 A rendering of the concept using an inaccurate conventional angled-deck carrierElbit Systems 4/4 A Hermes drone with a recon podElbit Systems View gallery - 4 images Even aircraft carriers are joining the drone age. Elbit Systems has unveiled a concept to convert standard commercial merchant ships into modular carriers capable of launching and retrieving its Hermes 650 Spark fixed-wing unmanned aircraft.During the Second World War, the Allies built roughly 130 ships known as escort carriers. At the time, the weakest links in the Allied supply chain were the convoys moving across the Atlantic, Pacific, and North Sea that were vulnerable to Axis submarine attacks. To protect them, the US Navy and Royal Navy desperately needed air cover. Unfortunately, you can't just open a cupboard and pull out a full-blown fleet carrier, nor could you order one online – even if the internet had existed.The solution was to take existing unarmored commercial cargo ships and tankers, adding a wooden flight deck, small island superstructures, and enough hangar space and support systems to handle up to 30 aircraft. These were quick to convert and quick to put to sea in sufficient numbers to protect convoys far from the defense of any airfields. A rendering of the concept using an inaccurate conventional angled-deck carrierElbit Systems Today, a massive boom in airborne military drones is driving a shift toward hybrid conventional/unmanned forces. However, this raises a new logistical problem of how to transport and deploy fixed-wing drones that could number in the thousands for a single campaign.Taking a step forward by looking into the past, Elbit Systems proposes a turnkey package to convert standard commercial vessels into drone hubs capable of managing nine to 12 Hermes 650 Spark platforms. With a maximum takeoff weight of 1,433 lb (650 kg), these drones utilize a front-mounted engine that provides high power margins and a wide speed envelope. This gives the aircraft the precise short takeoff and landing (STOL) performance needed to operate from a ship's deck.Crucially, this modern "escort carrier" operates differently than its predecessors. Because the Hermes 650 Spark features advanced satellite communications, the ship wouldn't need to house a massive command-and-control center. Instead, the aircraft would be controlled by a shore-based ground station.Source: Elbit Systems View gallery - 4 images Tags David Szondy is a playwright, author and journalist based in Seattle, Washington. A retired field archaeologist and university lecturer, he has a background in the history of science, technology, and medicine with a particular emphasis on aerospace, military, and cybernetic subjects. In addition, he is the author of four award-winning plays, a novel, reviews, and a plethora of scholarly works ranging from industrial archaeology to law. David has worked as a feature writer for many international magazines and has been a feature writer for New Atlas since 2011.