Switzerland has received an Israeli Hermes 900 UAV, five more are expected

By TOC On Dec 18, 2019

BERN, (BM) – Switzerland has received the first of six Elbit Systems Hermes 900 unmanned aircraft system (UAS), learned BulgarianMilitary.com, according the Swiss government statement at Monday.

The MALE UAS is based at Emmen Airbase, from which it will perform border surveillance and disaster relief.

Due to a six-month delay in certifying the use of the Hermes 900 HFE (Heavy Fuel Engine) in Swiss airspace, the new UAS is temporarily grounded. Helicopters will perform its role for the time being.

The Swiss government awarded Elbit Systems an approximately $200 million contract for the procurement of six Hermes 900 UAS in November 2015. Deliveries are expected to be completed by 2021.

The Elbit Systems Hermes 900 Kochav (Star) is an Israeli medium-size, multi-payload, medium-altitude long-endurance unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) designed for tactical missions.

It is a sequel to the Hermes 450 series of drones, one of the most widely used military drones in the world.

It has an endurance of over 30 hours and can fly at a maximum altitude of 30,000 feet (9,100 m), with a primary mission of reconnaissance, surveillance and communications relay. The Hermes 900 has a wingspan of 15 m (49 ft) and weighs 970 kg (2,140 lb), with a payload capability of 300 kg (660 lb).

Payload options include electro-optical/infrared sensors, synthetic-aperture radar/ground-moving target indication, communications and electronic intelligence, electronic warfare, and hyperspectral sensors.

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BulgarianMilitary.com
Editorial team
Source: Israeli Defense