There is an effort underway to develop a UAV version of the F-16. This would be based on the QF-16, the remotely controlled target version of the F-16. The air force is already in the process of converting 210 retired F-16s to QF-16s and it was noted that with a little extra work the QF-16 could be turned into a combat UAV for dangerous missions like SEAD (suppression of enemy defenses) or attacking ground targets guarded by heavy air defenses.
Category Archives: Military UAS
Heron UAS Operators Offered Airframe Transplant
Existing operators of the Israel Aerospace Industries Heron unmanned aircraft system are being offered a way of getting the advanced performance of the heavy fuel engine-powered Super Heron, by taking the avionics package of the older version and “transplanting” it into the new model’s enlarged fuselage.
Switzerland Considers Israeli UAS
After a public vote ruling out buying Gripen fighter jets, the Swiss parliament will also be looking at new UAS. The decision has sparked controversy, as both models being considered are produced by Israel and were tested in the conflict with Palestine. Continue reading
Turkey’s Vestel Tests Karayel UAS
The Vestel Defense Industry Corporation successfully tested Karayel, an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) which was designed for the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) under an agreement between the Undersecretariat of Defence Industry and Vestel. Continue reading
Reapers Fly Air-to-Ground Weapon System Evaluation
Hunters from the 432nd Wing/432nd Air Expeditionary Wing and the Air-to-Ground Weapons System Evaluation Program team participated in the 2014 Combat Hammer Exercise May 12-15, 2014, to operationally assess and evaluate the reliability, maintainability, suitability, and accuracy of remotely piloted aircraft munitions. Continue reading
RQ-4 Global Hawk Landing at Misawa Air Base
The first-ever RQ-4 Global Hawk to touch down in Japan arrived at Misawa Air Base May 24. Continue reading
Improved Gray Eagle Flies with Sigint Pod and Hellfire Missiles
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA‑ASI),has announced the successful second endurance flight of the U.S. Army’s Improved Gray Eagle (IGE) prototype Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS), an advanced derivative of the mission-proven Gray Eagle UAS that has accumulated over 100,000 flight hours since 2008. The flight of IGE lasted 36.7 hours, taking off on January 17 and landing on January 19 at the company’s El Mirage Flight Operations Facility in Palmdale, California. Continue reading
Airbus Seeks Deal to Supply Germany with Heron TP
Airbus (AIR.PA) signed a deal on Wednesday with Israel Aerospace Industries to team up on a bid for a bridging contract to supply the German armed forces with military UAS until 2020. Continue reading