12 December 2022
by Oishee Majumdar
Elbit Systems will supply its Skylark I-LEX UAV (pictured above) to the Australian Army. (Elbit Systems)
The Australian Army will be procuring Elbit Systems' Skylark I-LEX unmanned aerial systems (UASs) equipped with electro-optic (EO), and automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast (ADS-B) system.
The Australian Army will acquire eight Skylark I-LEX UASs from Elbit Systems under Army Minors Project 024.35, a spokesperson for the Australian Department of Defence (DoD) told Janes on 12 December.
“The systems are scheduled to be delivered in 2024,” the spokesperson said.
“The Skylark I-LEX will be provisioned to the 2nd Division's 9th Regiment, Royal Australian Artillery for enhanced situational awareness during domestic operations including ‘Defence Assistance to the Civil Community' (DACC) tasks,” the spokesperson added.
DACC provides the means through which the DoD can assist Australia's State and Territory governments, and non-defence agencies to deliver emergency or non-emergency support in times of need.
The certified ADS-B system will “support the Australian Army achieve wider use cases outside of traditional army UAS employment including integration into more classes of airspace”, Elbit Systems said in a media release on 7 November.
17 May 2024
by Gareth Jennings
Poland now has all 24 of the TB2 UAVs it ordered from Türkiye, operating them across four systems based at the 12th Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Base at Mirosławiec. (Polish MND)
Poland has received the last of 24 Baykar Bayraktar TB2 armed unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) from Türkiye.
The Polish Armaments Agency (AA) announced the milestone on 16 May, saying that the last four unmanned aircraft systems (UASs), each comprising six UAVs, had been received into the 12th Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Base at Mirosławiec on the same day.
“The Secretary of State in the Ministry of National Defense, Paweł Bejda, together with representatives of the Polish Armed Forces, took part in the ceremony of completing the delivery of the last, fourth set of the Bayraktar TB2 unmanned reconnaissance and strike system,” the AA said.
17 May 2024
by Jeremy Binnie
The Hunter 5 prototype before its first test flight at the X Range. (Edge Group)
The United Arab Emirates' (UAE's) Edge Group has updated the product page for its Hunter 5 unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) with a video showing its first test flight.
The video said the flight took place in November 2023 at the company's X Range testing facility on Abu al Abyad island. It showed a prototype fitted with fixed undercarriage and non-folding wings, having its two-cylinder petrol engine manually started before it took off and flew around the range's runway.
The promotional image of the Hunter 5 on the Edge website shows it with folding wings, no undercarriage, and a probable rocket booster for launching it from a rail or canister.
16 May 2024
by Gareth Jennings
The GHTP lifts off from Jagel for its maiden flight in German airspace. (IAI)
The Luftwaffe has flown the first of its leased Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) Heron TP unmanned aircraft systems (UASs) on its maiden flight in German airspace on 15 May.
Announced by the Bundeswehr, Airbus Defence and Space as the lead contractor for the programme, and IAI, the milestone saw the medium-altitude long-endurance (MALE) unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) operating out of its future home station of Jagel (also known as Schleswig Air Base) in the far north of Germany.
Known as the German Heron TP (GHTP), the UAS was awarded a type certificate by the German Military Aviation Authority in late 2022, at which time it was operated out of an undisclosed location in Israel.
The GHTP is intended to bridge the gap between the retirement of the earlier Heron 1 UAS and the introduction of the new European MALE UAS known as Eurodrone, with Airbus Defence and Space operating five air vehicles out to 2027.
The Australian Army will be procuring Elbit Systems' Skylark I-LEX unmanned aerial systems (UASs) eq...
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