UK clears Brimstone for Protector

The United Kingdom has cleared the MBDA Brimstone 3 precision air-to-surface missile for carriage and release from the Royal Air Force's Protector RG Mk1 remotely piloted aircraft, the government confirmed on October 20, 2026. The MQ-9B-derived platform completed US-based separation testing in June and additional UK work in August under its weapons qualification programme. Brimstone adds an anti-armour and moving-target engagement option alongside the Paveway IV guided bomb, which received clearance earlier in 2026. The announcement concerns weapons integration and release certification; it does not establish that Protector has fired the missile during an operational mission.