IAI Heron
Heron | |
---|---|
IAI Heron 1 UAV in flight | |
Role | Unmanned surveillance and reconnaissance aerial vehicle |
National origin | Israel |
Manufacturer | Israel Aerospace Industries |
First flight | 1994 |
Introduction | 2005 |
Status | Active, in production |
Primary users | Brazilian Federal Police
Turkish Air Force |
Variants | EADS Harfang IAI Eitan Avionics Services Caçador |
The IAI Heron (Machatz-1) is a
On 11 September 2005, it was announced that the Israel Defense Forces purchased US$50 million worth of Heron systems.[1]
Design and development
The Heron navigates using an internal
The Heron can carry an array of sensors, including
The payload sensors communicate with the ground control station in real time, using either direct line of sight data link, or via an airborne/satellite relay. Like the navigation system, the payload can also be used in either a fully pre-programmed autonomous mode, or manual real-time remote operation, or a combination of both.
Super Heron
At the February 2014
Operational history
The Heron saw significant use during Operation
Other countries operating the Heron include
Beginning in 2021, Malta-based Herons have been used by Frontex, the European Border and Coast Guard Agency, to monitor migrant activity in the southern Mediterranean Sea. This activity drew controversy when it was announced that the data gathered would be shared with countries including Libya and Tunisia. The concern was that the data could be used to force irregular migrants back to their point of departure, denying them the opportunity to seek asylum in other countries.[13]
Heron variants
- MALE UAV. IAI staff maintain that the Turkish Heron's "with its enhanced performance, is better than all existing Heron UAVs operating worldwide".[15] Turkish Aerospace Industries (TUSAŞ) provides maintenance and overhaul services for its Herons.[16]
- EADS Harfang – variant operated by France
Operators
All exports of the IAI Heron are unarmed.[17]
- Brazilian Air Force – 15 operated jointly with Federal Police[19]
- Royal Canadian Air Force – 2 in service as of 2011, formerly operated 3[22]
- European Border and Coast Guard Agency - at least 1[24]
- German Air Force – 3, including 2 ground stations on an initial one-year lease starting since 2010, with 2-3 more being planned.[25] Will be replaced by the Eurodrone
- Hellenic Air Force - 2+1 on lease starting December 2019 which entered service in June 2021[26][27]
- Hellenic Coast Guard[28]
- Indian Air Force – 50. 49 on service, 1 crashed in 2017[29][30]
- Indian Navy – 16[31]
- Israeli Defence Force – at least 1[32]
- Republic of Korea Army – 3 on order as of 2014[33][needs update]
- Maltese Air Force- 1
- Royal Moroccan Air Force – three bought in 2014[34]
- Turkish Air Force – 10
Former operators
- Royal Australian Air Force – 2, retired in 2017[12]
Specifications
Data from Heron/Shoval/Eitan[38]
General characteristics
- Capacity: 250 kg (551 lb)
- Length: 8.5 m (27 ft 11 in)
- Wingspan: 16.6 m (54 ft 6 in)
- Airfoil: IAI SA-21[39]
- Max takeoff weight: 1,150 kg (2,535 lb)
- Powerplant: 1 × Rotax 9164-cylinder air and water cooled horizontally-opposed piston engine, 160 kW (210 hp)
- Propellers: 3-bladed pusher propeller
Performance
- Maximum speed: 207 km/h (129 mph, 112 kn)
- Endurance: 52 hours[40]
- Service ceiling: 10,000 m (33,000 ft)
- Rate of climb: 2.5 m/s (490 ft/min)
- Wing loading: 89 kg/m2 (18 lb/sq ft)
See also
Related development
Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era
References
- ^ "Israel Aerospace Industries Ltd. – Home page". Iai.co.il. Archived from the original on 16 December 2005. Retrieved 18 November 2012.
- ^ "Israeli company unveils new Super Heron drone". The Times of Israel. Archived from the original on 7 December 2017. Retrieved 7 December 2017.
- ^ IAI Unveils Super Heron Heavy Fuel Unmanned Aerial System Archived 22 February 2014 at the Wayback Machine – Deagel.com, 11 February 2014
- ^ Opall-Rome, Barbara (8 March 2009). "Maj. Gen. Ido Nehushtan". DefenceNews. Retrieved 4 August 2009.[dead link]
- ^ Eshel, David (11 May 2009). "New Tactics Yield Solid Victory in Gaza". Aviation Week. Archived from the original on 14 June 2011. Retrieved 3 July 2009.
- ^ "Heron MALE System". Defense-update.com. 21 September 2005. Archived from the original on 7 February 2009. Retrieved 18 November 2012.
- ^ "Eagle MALE System". Defense-update.com. 11 September 2006. Archived from the original on 28 September 2012. Retrieved 18 November 2012.
- ^ "Canadian military acquiring new helicopters, drones". CBC News. 7 August 2008. Archived from the original on 19 December 2008. Retrieved 8 August 2008.
- ^ "Capital Circle". Theaustralian.news.com.au. Archived from the original on 3 October 2009. Retrieved 18 November 2012.
- ^ Heron Logs 15,000 Flight Hours In Afghanistan Archived 11 November 2013 at the Wayback Machine – sUASNews.com, 22 July 2013
- ^ PICTURES: RAAF Heron flies at Amberley alongside manned aircraft Archived 26 April 2016 at the Wayback Machine – Flightglobal.com, 13 April 2016
- ^ a b "End of an era, as our Heron departs" (Press release). Royal Australian Air Force. 8 August 2017. Archived from the original on 9 August 2017. Retrieved 8 August 2017.
- ^ "Migrant drone surveillance from Malta: MEP questions information-sharing with 'pull-back' countries".
- ^ [1] Archived 20 July 2010 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Turkey stymied by problems with Israeli Heron UAVs". www.sundayszaman.com. Archived from the original on 22 May 2009. Retrieved 17 January 2022.
- ^ "WORLD – 'One project still in progress with Israel'". Hurriyetdailynews.com. 4 November 2011. Archived from the original on 7 November 2011. Retrieved 18 November 2012.
- ^ "Armed Drones in the Middle East - Israel". Royal United Services Institute (RUSI). 2018. Archived from the original on 13 February 2019. Retrieved 21 December 2018.
- ^ "List of ammunition purchased by Azerbaijan made public". News.Az. 27 March 2012. Archived from the original on 30 March 2012. Retrieved 18 November 2012.
- ^ a b Barreira, Victor (15 January 2019). "Brazil to resume operations with Heron 1 UAVs". Jane's 360. Rio de Janeiro. Archived from the original on 15 January 2019. Retrieved 15 January 2019.
- ^ Defesanet (August 2009). "Exitosa Demonstração do VANT Heron no Brasil". Archived from the original on 2 November 2009. Retrieved 5 November 2009.
- ^ Meranda, Amnon (November 2009). "Israel to supply Brazil with drones as part of $350M deal". Ynetnews. Archived from the original on 15 November 2009. Retrieved 12 November 2009.
- ^ COPA Flight 8 (June 2009). "Canadian Forces Briefing on UAVs". Archived from the original on 11 July 2012. Retrieved 30 June 2009.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ Armada del Ecuador – ARMADA PRESENTÓ SU AVIONES NO TRIPULADOS –UAV- Archived 30 January 2010 at the Wayback Machine (Spanish)
- ^ "Le Heron 1 de FRONTEX s'installe à Malte". Air et Cosmos. Retrieved 20 June 2021.
- ^ "Mehr als 100 Milliarden Euro für die Bundeswehr – für unsere Sicherheit". www.bmvg.de/. BmVg. Retrieved 27 February 2022.
- ^ ""Έκλεισε" η συμφωνία για δύο ισραηλινά UAV "HERON" - Θα επιχειρούν από την Κρήτη (in Greek)". Pro news. 23 December 2019. Retrieved 25 December 2019.
- ^ "Στη βάση των UAV Heron στη Σκύρο o Aρχηγός ΓΕΕΘΑ (in Greek)". in.gr. 20 June 2021. Retrieved 23 June 2021.
- ^ "Έναρξη πτήσεων Μη Επανδρωμένου Αεροσκάφους που διατέθηκε από τον Οργανισμό FRONTEX στο πλαίσιο βελτίωσης των επιχειρησιακών δυνατοτήτων του Λ.Σ. – ΕΛ.ΑΚΤ". www.hcg.gr (in Greek). Retrieved 8 July 2022.
- ^ "Defence Industry Daily: Israel sells heron UAVs to India and Australia". Strategypage.com. 11 November 2005. Archived from the original on 29 September 2013. Retrieved 18 November 2012.
- ^ "Indian Navy commissions first UAV squadron". Us.rediff.com. Retrieved 18 November 2012.
- ^ "Eye in the sky to guard Gujarat coast". The Times of India. 18 January 2011. Archived from the original on 4 November 2012. Retrieved 3 July 2013.
- ^ "Israel Aerospace Industries Ltd. – Home page". Iai.co.il. Archived from the original on 24 April 2011. Retrieved 18 November 2012.
- ^ Seoul is buying US and Israeli drones Archived 26 December 2014 at the Wayback Machine – Defense-Update.com, 17 December 2014
- ^ Mitzer, Stijn; Oliemans, Joost. "Operating From The Shadows: Morocco's UAV Fleet". Oryx Blog. Retrieved 27 June 2022.
- ^ "News – Fact Sheet: Heron 1 Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) (02 Mar 11)". MINDEF. Archived from the original on 7 November 2017. Retrieved 18 November 2012.
- ^ "Singapore Inaugurates Heron 1 UAV". Flightglobal.com. 24 May 2012. Archived from the original on 27 May 2012. Retrieved 18 November 2012.
- ^ "PARIS AIR SHOW: Heron sees frontline El Salvador anti-drugs fight". Flightglobal.com. 15 June 2009. Archived from the original on 25 February 2010. Retrieved 18 November 2012.
- ^ "Heron/Shoval/Eitan". Israeli-weapons.com. Archived from the original on 14 November 2012. Retrieved 18 November 2012.
- ^ Lednicer, David. "The Incomplete Guide to Airfoil Usage". m-selig.ae.illinois.edu. Retrieved 16 April 2019.
- ^ "UAVs at the Forefront of Future Warfare". Airforce Technology. 5 October 2009. Archived from the original on 30 August 2011. Retrieved 18 November 2012.