Royal Navy Completes First Carrier-Based Launches of the Nyan Strike Drone

BAE Systems announced on Nov. 6, 2026, that the U.K. Royal Navy had flown the Nyan One-Way Effector from the deck of the aircraft carrier HMS QUEEN ELIZABETH for the first time.

During Exercise Neptune Reach B in the North Atlantic, the carrier launched four of the drones, and each one struck its assigned target. The trials showed that the drone can be operated safely from an aircraft carrier, supporting the Royal Navy’s push to combine uncrewed systems with its crewed ships to...