Provision of Aerial Surveillance for HMCG

HM Coastguard (HMCG) helicopters and planes, provided under the UKSAR2G contract, have a primary role to provide search and rescue. However, they undertake a range of other missions in support of wider Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) objectives, and those of other government departments.

In addition, HMCG require an Search and Surveillance service to provide near real time situational awareness in support of specialised SAR operations.

Therefore, the MCA is planning to undertake a procurement for this additional Search and Surveillance service. The MCA will procure for intelligence, search, surveillance, and reconnaissance assets that can supply the information required. This service will not require national coverage.

Potentially, during high-risk times, an HMCG surveillance asset could be operating for a full 24‑hour period extending into consecutive days and sometimes weeks.

Respondents should bear in mind that the MCA will take a solution agnostic approach to the procurement and is open to different technological approaches, providing they can demonstrably meet the requirement to provide persistent maritime situational awareness in areas of need.