The UAV will replace the Searcher MkII and Hermes 450, which are Israeli-made unmanned aerial vehicles.
Airbus Spain will launch a high-performance SiRTAP UAV. Defensenews.com is known to enter service for the Spanish and Colombian Air Forces.
The drone is being developed as part of the SirTAP program (Sistema RPAS Táctico de Altas Prestaciones), previously marked Atlante 2 MALE. It will be a tactical drone for intelligence gathering and surveillance. It will replace the Searcher MkII and Hermes 450, which are Israeli-made drones.
Spain will purchase 27 SiRTAP platforms, each consisting of three drones, a ground control station and data acquisition equipment. The Spanish Ministry of Defense received permission to invest 500 million euros in this project. Colombia will buy 6 platforms.
Drone SirTAP: features
The SiRTAP device will be able to spend 20 hours in autonomous flight, climb to an altitude of 6.4 km and carry a payload of up to 150 kg. The foldable design of the drone will allow it to be carried both on land and in the air in transport aircraft such as the C-295. One plane can fit 2 UAVs. Airbus said the drone is suitable for a variety of missions, including intelligence gathering, maritime surveillance, convoy escort and force protection, and electronic warfare.
The company also said in a statement that the platform is designed as a cost-effective solution for the Air Force. Currently, only Spain and Colombia are interested in SiRTAP drones, but other countries, especially France, have shown interest in the drone and are closely following its development.
We have previously reported that Russia will develop a powerful hybrid engine for UAVs.
Source: Focus
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