Australia’s Heron Remotely Piloted Aircraft, which has been in Afghanistan since 2010, has a reputation as one of the most reliable and effective platforms of its type operating in the Middle East, according to the Commanding Officer of the Heron Detachment, Wing Commander (WGCDR) John McMullan. Continue reading
Category Archives: Military UAS
Poland Budgets $975M to Boost UAS Programme
As early as next year, Warsaw could select a supplier for a tactical Army UAS, part of Poland’s push to boost domestic industry and military capability in unmanned aircraft systems, a Polish Army officer said. Continue reading
Russia Claims China Copied Stealth UAS Design
After China’s first stealth combat UAS, the Lijian, completed its first test flight on November 21, the Moscow-based Military Parade stated that the aircraft — designed jointly by the Shenyang Aircraft Corporation and Hongdu Aviation Industry Group — is in fact a copy of a Russian design. Continue reading
Australia’s Herons to Remain in Afghanistan to Secure Elections in 2014
Australia has agreed to extend the deployment of two Heron unmanned surveillance aircraft to assist with security for Afghanistan’s national elections in April next year. Defence Minister David Johnston said the 40-member Heron team, based at Kandahar airport, would now stay until next July. Continue reading
Iran Claims Reverse-Enginered RQ-170 Soon Ready to Fly
Lieutenant Commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Brigadier General Hossein Salami announced that the Iranian version of the RQ-170 which has been manufactured through the reverse engineering of the American UAS which was tracked and hunted down in Iran late in 2011, will be unveiled to the public soon. “The construction will finish soon and most of the job has been done now,” General Salami told reporters on the sidelines of a conference in Tehran on Tuesday. Continue reading
General Atomics Gets $40M Gray Eagle Production Contract from US Army
Gray Eagle with Triclops Sensor Suite – Photo: General Atomics Aeronautical Systems
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc.,was awarded a $40,253,105 modification to contract W58RGZ-13-C-0109 for the Gray Eagle full rate production option exercise applicable to the Gray Eagle Unmanned Aircraft System. Continue reading
US Blocks Sale of WESCAM Equipment to Turkey
The US government has blocked the export of cameras and laser pointers for the Turkish Karayel UAS, developed by Vestel. Continue reading
Northrop Grumman RQ-180 – More Stealth, More Efficiency
A large, classified unmanned aircraft developed by Northrop Grumman is now flying—and it demonstrates a major advance in combining stealth and aerodynamic efficiency. Defence and intelligence officials say the secret unmanned aircraft system (UAS), designed for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) missions, is scheduled to enter production for the U.S. Air Force and could be operational by 2015.