Elbit Systems has received an order for its
120th Hermes 900 Medium-Range Long-Altitude (MALE) unmanned
aerial vehicle (UAV).
The family of the Hermes 900
multi-role MALE UAV is Elbit Systems’ largest unmanned aerial
vehicle and is capable of performing a wide range of missions
including persistent intelligence, surveillance, target
acquisition and reconnaissance (ISTAR).
The advanced UAV can also
can perform ground support and maritime patrol missions, and
provides the capabilities for integrated multi-platform,
multi-sensor operations.
The aircraft has an endurance of up to 30 hours in
a single sortie and features over-the-horizon, persistent
multi-mission capabilities with a payload carrying capacity of 450kgs and maximum
ceiling of 30,000 feet.
The Hermes 900 incorporates flexible
cutting edge multi-payload configurations employing standard and
long-range SPECTRO EO/IR/SWIR/LTD, SAR/GMTI & MPR, COMINT
Cellular, CoMMJAM, ELINT, large area scanning systems, SkyEye wide
area persistent surveillance and other payloads.
The Starliner UAV, a derivative of the Hermes 900, is equipped
with advanced civil aviation technology allowing it to meet both
military and civilian certification standards.
Those technologies
include a terrain avoidance warning system; automatic take-off and
landing in limited visibility conditions; redundant avionics,
sensors and satellite data links; as well as adverse weather
capabilities, direct lightning strike sustainment, flight in
denied / Jammed GPS environment, automatic air traffic sense and
avoiding systems and avoiding auto-maneuvers and last resort
parachute to avoid injuries to human lives.
The
Starliner UAV is the only NATO Class III UAV with those
certifications in the world.
Yoram Shmuely, Executive Vice
President and General Manager of Elbit Systems Aerospace, said, “The
120th Hermes 900 UAV order is a significant milestone that is
testament to the hard work and dedication of the whole Elbit
Systems’ team. We are proud to have reached this remarkable
milestone. Our ongoing commitment to providing top-quality
products and outstanding customer service has led us to this
achievement, and we appreciate all our loyal and supportive
customers and end-users.”
Since the first order
of the unmanned aerial system (UAS) in 2011, the Hermes 900 has
been selected by more than 20 customers around the world, making
it the only NATO class III MALE operational on five continents.
Its users are the air forces, navy and army agencies such as border
protection, police and more. The UAS is flown by Israel,
Switzerland, Canada, Brazil, Chile, Mexico, Switzerland,
Philippines, Thailand and others.
