TSAMTO, January 27. Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) on January 25 announced the signing of two contracts for the supply of unmanned aircraft systems "Heron" Mk.2 (Heron MK II) to an unnamed customer in Central Asia.
The agreements include the leasing and sale of medium-high-altitude UAVs of long flight duration "Heron" Mk.2 (MALE class) of the same country in the Central Asian region. The cost of delivery is estimated at "tens of millions of dollars". The number of ordered UAVs, reconnaissance equipment and ground control stations was not disclosed.
The company expects that the new contracts will "open the door" for the signing of additional agreements for the supply of the Heron Mk.2.
As previously reported, demonstrated at the Singapore Air Show in 2020, "Heron" Mk.2 retained the same dimensions and general technical characteristics as the Heron-1. The difference is the enlarged fuselage to accommodate more sensors. The device also received a new power plant-a certified four-stroke Rotax 915 iS engine with a capacity of 135 hp and a three-bladed pusher propeller.
The wider and stronger fuselage simplifies maintenance and does not increase the UAV's own weight. Thanks to the equipment of larger sensors with improved characteristics, the UAV allows you to collect information at a distance of tens of kilometers without crossing borders. Potential payloads include synthetic aperture radars, electron-optical sensors, radio and electronic intelligence equipment, and sonar systems for detecting submarines. Heron Mk. 2 UAVs can land on any runway in the absence of ground control stations and maneuver in extreme weather conditions.
According to the IAI, the maximum speed of the Heron Mk.2 is 140 knots, the practical ceiling is 35,000 feet (10,670 m), the flight duration is 45 hours. The new sensors have expanded the range of tasks, including communication relay and electronic intelligence.
In addition to the Heron-1 and Heron Mk.2, the Heron family developed by IAI includes the T-Heron, Heron-TP, Heron-TP-XP, and Super Heron UAVs. The total flight time for the 40-year period of operation exceeded 1.7 million hours. The devices were delivered to 50 customers.
