TSAMTO, February 1. The Swiss Defense Procurement and Technology Agency (Armasuisse) handed over to the command of the country's Air Force the first two (out of six ordered) Hermes-900 HFE (Heavy Fuel Engine) reconnaissance UAVs to Elbit Systems.
This was announced on January 30 by the Federal Ministry of Defense, Civil Protection and Sports of Switzerland.
The event took place about nine months after Israel handed over the UAV to the Armasuisse Agency. The Military Aviation Administration (MAA) has provided all the necessary certificates for the use of UAVs. This means that now the Air Force can begin the phased introduction of the Hermes-900 HFE into combat. The remaining UAVs will be transferred by the end of 2023.
The Directorate of Military Aviation provided a certificate of airworthiness for the UAV after the completion in December 2022 of intensive ground and flight tests of two vehicles delivered to Switzerland.
UAVs with registration numbers D-11 and D-14 with the appropriate equipment, including ground control stations, sensors, logistics and training equipment, have now been transferred to the Air Force, which, thus, can begin using the new system.
The third UAV (r.n. D-16) was delivered from Israel to Switzerland in October 2022. It is being tested and should be handed over to the Air Force by mid-2023. At the same time, Armasuisse, together with Elbit, is evaluating and testing other elements of the system in Israel. It is expected that by the end of 2023, the remaining three UAVs, two ground control stations, sensors and logistics equipment will be delivered to Switzerland. It is expected that the use of UAVs for their intended purpose will begin by mid-2024.
As reported by TSAMTO, the Swiss government signed a contract with Elbit Systems worth about 250 million Swiss francs ($256 million) for the purchase of the Hermes-900 UAV in November 2015. Within the framework of the Aufklarungsdrohnensystems 15 (ADS-15) project, six Hermes-900 UAVs, ground control stations, equipment, simulator and related services are to be delivered to the Swiss Armed Forces. The total requirement of the Swiss Armed Forces is 15 UAVs.
Due to various reasons, including technical problems, the crash of one of the UAVs during testing, an increase in the certification period, the COVID-19 pandemic, the delivery dates of the UAV were significantly shifted. Due to the delay in the delivery of UAVs, Armasuisse applied penalties to Elbit. In addition, during the negotiations, additional services were agreed (apparently free of charge), including certification of an anti-icing system.
On April 21 and 26, 2022, the first two UAVs, two ground control stations, as well as various materials and components for the maintenance and use of ADS-15 were delivered from Israel to Switzerland in two batches. Tests of these UAVs in Switzerland began in May 2022.
ADS-15 is an unarmed reconnaissance UAV that will replace the ADS-95 reconnaissance UAVs used until the end of 2019. The planned service life of ADS-15 is up to 20 years. UAVs can be used to monitor large territories, search, detect targets, support the protection of important infrastructure and troops. The UAV can be equipped with various sensors, including EO/IR cameras, synthetic aperture radar, electronic reconnaissance equipment. The complex can be used day and night.
ADS-15 can be used to control the actions of troops, including the adjustment of fire. Potential users of UAVs are also civilian structures, police, rescue services and the Swiss border service.
