UK warships are to benefit from a new surveillance capability as part of a £30m contract signed by MoD. Scan Eagle is a maritime reconnaissance asset that can be launched off the back of Royal Navy and Royal Fleet Auxillary ships day or night to gather intelligence and survey the wider area of operations. Built by Insitu, a subsidiary of Boeing Defence UK Limited, the ScanEagle is the first maritime specific unmanned air system capability to be delivered in support of Naval operations. It will complement the existing intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance assets used on operations such as helicopters and long range radar. © Crown copyright 2013