Paris Air Show 2011: Elbit investigates new Hermes 900 potential

Elbit Systems is examining new payloads and capabilities for its Hermes 900 medium-altitude long-endurance unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV).

Speaking to Jane’s at the Paris Air Show, Elad Aharonson, Elbit’s executive vice-president and general manager for unmanned aircraft systems, said that the company was looking at ways to take advantage of the Hermes 900’s internal bay.

The Hermes 900 has a 450 kg payload capacity (inclusive of fuel), up to 250 kg of which can be carried in the 250 litre-volume internal bay. New payloads under consideration, Aharonson said, were unspecified radar and long-range electro-optic systems (EOS). The current onboard capability is sufficient to accommodate more demanding power systems, he added.

Since then, Selex Galileo has confirmed that Elbit has selected its Gabbiano T200 long-range surveillance radar as the Hermes 900’s main sensor of choice and that the smaller Gabbiano T20 will be installed aboard Elbit’s Hermes 450s. Both radar versions offer synthetic aperture radar (SAR) and inverse SAR imaging modes.

Elbit is looking at the potential to use the internal bay as a cargo-carrying space for an aerial resupply capability that would use a parachute system.