The Supermarine Sparrohawk is a high-altitude long endurance unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) in service in the Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm as a maritime surveillance aircraft. Together with its associated ground control station, it is an unmanned aircraft system (UAS). The Sparrowhawk is intended to provide real-time intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions (ISR) over vast ocean and coastal regions, continuous maritime surveillance, conduct search and rescue missions, and to complement the Nimrod MRA4 maritime patrol aircraft.
The Sparrowhawk builds on elements of the Skyhawk, changes include reinforcements to the air frame and wing, de-icing systems, and lightning protection systems. These capabilities allow the aircraft to descend through cloud layers to gain a closer view of ships and other targets at sea when needed. The sensor suites allow ships to be tracked by gathering information on their speed, location, and classification.
