UAVs and UCAVs

[LETHALFORCE]

shiny the main targets would be air defense systems similar to s-300 and radar instillations. I was wondering if it could be modified for anti-radiation missile type function?

 

[kuku]

I assume after it is launched there is no getting it back, a bit like our (British) Fire Shadow (the Harpy may well be the basis for the Fire Shadow, as is suggested at the end of the article).

Also, can you make it so that it will go after some radar types over others, (target priority), to hit the radar that would present the largest threat to an airpackage for example (eg going after an SA-10 targeting radar over an SA-2 detection radar). Or would it go after the first radar it sees.
A bit of an oversimplification I know but still some insight would be appreciated.

The approach is nice, if India could manufacture something similar to the Harpy-2/harop, a smallish cheap UAV with a basic optical sensor and data-link to a ground control centre, it will be a nice weapon to have, do ISR when you have to and if something important shows up kill it then and there, no need to have sophisticated takeoff/landing routines just fire the thing up like a rocket and do a parachute landing.

I think i read this somewhere, "Screw ISR i am gonna kill something" :blum3:

 

[Shiny Capstar]

shiny the main targets would be air defense systems similar to s-300 and radar instillations. I was wondering if it could be modified for anti-radiation missile type function?

I thought it was basically an anti-radiation missile, it does say that it that it is 'designed to detect, attack and destroy radar emitters.'

At least it doesn't rule out it basically being a loitering anti-radiation missile in the article.

 

[LETHALFORCE]

i should have rephrased it and asked if modifying it into a microwave type weapon, you are right it is made to take out radar. something simliar to this to knockout all power and communications.

http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/munitions/hpm.htm

 

[ahmedsid]

The Harpy is a welcome addition to the IA and Would prove deadly to enemy Defences, But I want to know how capable this drone is. Does the US or Russia have something similar??

 

[LETHALFORCE]

USA has Predator drones that they are currently using against pakistan it serves a different fuction, not sure about Russia.

 

[ahmedsid]

USA has Predator drones that they are currently using against pakistan it serves a different fuction, not sure about Russia.

Predator drones are retrievable and cant eavesdrop etc but Harpy is different I presume, I mean its one time use and its for SEAD. Is predator capable of dedicated SEAD???

Read somewhere China also got its hands on some Harpy, if thats a case then pakistan can get acess to its limitations and maybe chinese might reverse engineer it too!

 

[LETHALFORCE]

Predator is not used against air defense systems like harpy, China did initially try to get Harpy there are different reports of how many? than Israel cancelled rest of delivery but chinese could be making crude copies.

http://www.sinodefence.com/news/2004/news041225.asp

 

[LETHALFORCE]

 

[LETHALFORCE]

India Purchases Harop Loitering Munition

India Purchases Harop Loitering Munition


India Purchases Harop Loitering Munition

Released on Wednesday, June 10, 2009


IAI to Supply HAROP System for Over $100 Million
Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) has signed a contract to supply a HAROP Loitering Munition (LM) system to a foreign customer. The contract is estimated to be worth over $100 million.

Itzhak Nissan, President and CEO of IAI said: "HAROP is an extremely impressive system, and everyone at IAI is proud of this accomplishment. This is a state-of-the-art loitering munition system, which features accurate detection capabilities and minimizes collateral damage to the surrounding area."

Separately, the German Armed Forces and the German Ministry of Defense (MOD) have approved an operational requirement utilizing IAI's HAROP system. The project will be implemented in cooperation with Rheinmetall Defense as the prime contractor. The German MOD has already invested funds for the adaptation of HAROP to its specific requirements. Part of the adaptation was successfully performed by a joint IAI/Rheinmetall Defense team, and a follow on contract is planned for this year. This activity is a reflection of the successful cooperation between IAI and Rheinmetall Defense, which has also included projects involving Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs).

HAROP is a long endurance LM which can be launched from a variety of platforms, and is equipped with tactical UAV capabilities: high performance FLIR/ color CCD EO seeker with 3600 hemispherical coverage. It searches, detects, attacks and hits high value re-locateable, time critical, land or sea-based, moving targets with pinpoint accuracy at long ranges. A HAROP unit is comprised of LM launchers and a Mission Control Shelter (MCS) that enables missile control with a Man in the Loop operation, engagement or abort attack capability in real time, avoiding collateral damage.

The HAROP can be applied to a variety of battle scenarios, including low and high intensity conflicts, urban warfare and counter terror operations.

HAROP LMs are launched from transportable launchers and navigate towards the target area, where they loiter and search for targets. Once a target, static or moving, is detected, it is attacked and destroyed by the HAROP LM. The attack can be performed from any direction and at any attack angle, from flat to vertical which is highly essential in urban areas. The operator monitors the attack until the target is hit. Another HAROP LM can observe and send real time video of Battle Damage Assessment (BDA) to the operator. The operator can command to abort the attack in order to avoid collateral damage, returning the LM to loitering mode, and restart the attack later.

 

[LETHALFORCE]

IAI To Supply HAROP System

HAROP LMs are launched from transportable launchers and navigate towards the target area, where they loiter and search for targets. Once a target, static or moving, is detected, it is attacked and destroyed by the HAROP LM. The attack can be performed from any direction and at any attack angle, from flat to vertical which is highly essential in urban areas. The operator monitors the attack until the target is hit.
by Staff Writers
Tel Aviv, Israel (SPX) Jun 19, 2009
Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) has signed a contract to supply a HAROP Loitering Munition (LM) system to a foreign customer. The contract is estimated to be worth over $100 million.
Itzhak Nissan, President and CEO of IAI said: "HAROP is an extremely impressive system, and everyone at IAI is proud of this accomplishment. This is a state-of-the-art loitering munition system, which features accurate detection capabilities and minimizes collateral damage to the surrounding area."

Separately, the German Armed Forces and the German Ministry of Defense (MOD) have approved an operational requirement utilizing IAI's HAROP system. The project will be implemented in cooperation with Rheinmetall Defense as the prime contractor.

The German MOD has already invested funds for the adaptation of HAROP to its specific requirements. Part of the adaptation was successfully performed by a joint IAI/Rheinmetall Defense team, and a follow on contract is planned for this year. This activity is a reflection of the successful cooperation between IAI and Rheinmetall Defense, which has also included projects involving Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs).

HAROP is a long endurance LM which can be launched from a variety of platforms, and is equipped with tactical UAV capabilities: high performance FLIR/ color CCD EO seeker with 3600 hemispherical coverage. It searches, detects, attacks and hits high value re-locateable, time critical, land or sea-based, moving targets with pinpoint accuracy at long ranges. A HAROP unit is comprised of LM launchers and a Mission Control Shelter (MCS) that enables missile control with a Man in the Loop operation, engagement or abort attack capability in real time, avoiding collateral damage.

The HAROP can be applied to a variety of battle scenarios, including low and high intensity conflicts, urban warfare and counter terror operations.

HAROP LMs are launched from transportable launchers and navigate towards the target area, where they loiter and search for targets. Once a target, static or moving, is detected, it is attacked and destroyed by the HAROP LM. The attack can be performed from any direction and at any attack angle, from flat to vertical which is highly essential in urban areas. The operator monitors the attack until the target is hit.

Another HAROP LM can observe and send real time video of Battle Damage Assessment (BDA) to the operator. The operator can command to abort the attack in order to avoid collateral damage, returning the LM to loitering mode, and restart the attack later.

 

[Pintu]

That's a great report and great article LF sir, Kudos to you sir,
I think we need many of these Harops for COIN operations.

Regards

 

[F-14]

Defense Update Aerospace Features

Officially unveiling the HAROP loitering weapon at the Paris Air Show, Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) has announced receiving a contract to supply the HAROP Loitering Munition (LM) system to a foreign customer. Foreign sources hint the customer could be India. The contract is estimated to be worth over $100 million. Turkey is believed to be the launch customer for the HAROP, in 2005.

HAROP, a long endurance LM, can be launched from a variety of platforms. The expendable aerial vehicle combines the speed, precision and lethality of a guided missile with persistence, sensors and connectivity of a tactical UAV. HAROP can remain on a mission for six hours, performing area surveillance and reconnaissance, in support of specific area suppression and denial operations. It is fitted with an electro-optical payload, utilizing a high performance FLIR and color CCD, providing an electro-optical seeker, covering 360 degrees hemispherical field of regard. This sensor can search, detect and target, high value re-locateable, time critical, land or sea-based, moving targets, reporting their position with pinpoint accuracy, at long ranges.

 

[LETHALFORCE]

from paris Air show cross posting


Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) has signed a contract to supply a HAROP Loitering Munition (LM) system to a foreign customer, believed to be India. The contract is estimated to be worth over $100 million. Itzhak Nissan, President and CEO of IAI said: "HAROP is an extremely impressive system, and everyone at IAI is proud of this accomplishment. This is a state-of-the-art loitering munition system, which features accurate detection capabilities and minimizes collateral damage to the surrounding area." Separately, the German Armed Forces and the German Ministry of Defense (MOD) have approved an operational requirement utilizing IAI's HAROP system. The project will be implemented in cooperation with Rheinmetall Defense as the prime contractor. The German MOD has already invested funds for the adaptation of HAROP to its specific requirements. Part of the adaptation was successfully performed by a joint IAI/Rheinmetall Defense team, and a follow on contract is planned for this year. This activity is a reflection of the successful cooperation between IAI and Rheinmetall Defense, which has also included projects involving Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs). HAROP is a long endurance LM which can be launched from a variety of platforms, and is equipped with tactical UAV capabilities: high performance FLIR/ color CCD EO seeker with 3600 hemispherical coverage. It searches, detects, attacks and hits high value re-locateable, time critical, land or sea-based, moving targets with pinpoint accuracy at long ranges. A HAROP unit is comprised of LM launchers and a Mission Control Shelter (MCS) that enables missile control with a Man in the Loop operation, engagement or abort attack capability in real time, avoiding collateral damage. The HAROP can be applied to a variety of battle scenarios, including low and high intensity conflicts, urban warfare and counter terror operations. HAROP LMs are launched from transportable launchers and navigate towards the target area, where they loiter and search for targets. Once a target, static or moving, is detected, it is attacked and destroyed by the HAROP LM. The attack can be performed from any direction and at any attack angle, from flat to vertical which is highly essential in urban areas. The operator monitors the attack until the target is hit. Another HAROP LM can observe and send real time video of Battle Damage Assessment (BDA) to the operator. The operator can command to abort the attack in order to avoid collateral damage, returning the LM to loitering mode, and restart the attack later.

 

[LETHALFORCE]

Google Image Result for http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_44d3OT-xI3U/SR79DW-bwqI/AAAAAAAAAbA/2k7HXgJ5Igk/s400/Nirbhay.jpg

Nirbhay UAV Detailed

Under a fast-track project that forms an integral part of India’s efforts to develop a credible cruise missile defence system, the Defence Research & Development Organisation’s (DRDO) ADE and ASL laboratories are co-developing an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) called Nirbhay (fearless) that will be both air-launched and ship-launched. Believed to have been launched in late 2005, the project calls for the UAV to be developed as both a high-speed target drone capable of simulating the flight profiles of land-attack/anti-ship cruise missiles like China’s DH-10A and Pakistan’s Babur, as well as sea-skimming anti-ship missiles like the A/RGM-84A Harpoon and C-802A, both of which are operational with the Pakistan Navy. In addition, a ground-launched conventional takeoff and landing (CTOL) variant of the Nirbhay is also envisaged—this being a high-speed, medium-altitude vehicle equipped with a 130kg payload for standoff, theatre-level reconnaissance—in response to a specific air staff requirement of the Indian Air Force (IAF).

To be powered by a NPO Saturn-supplied 36MT turbofan rated at 400kg thrust, the Nirbhay’s target drone variant will be capable of cruising at a speed of Mach 0.92 at medium altitudes (10,000 feet) and 1,100kph at sea level, have a flight endurance of two hours, will sea-skim at 10 metres above sea level, will be able to pull up to 6.5 G, be equipped with a 130kg payload (of up to 24 different types such as towed radar/infra-red reflector/augmentation devices, EW jammers and hit-scorer avionics), and will have a digital flight management system that will enable the drone to undertake various flight manoeuvres like snaking, pop-up and a 40-degree dive. The ship-launched variant of Nirbhay will be equipped with twin solid-propellant boosters that will be ejected once the drone is airborne, while for the IAF, it will be configured for launch from an IL-76MD transport aircraft. For recovery purposes, both variants of the drone will be equipped with parachutes and inflatable air-bags. The drone will have a maximum takeoff weight of 650kg (minus the twin boosters), overall length of 5.5 metres, wingspan of 2.5 metres, and a fuselage diameter of 0.40 metres. The Nirbhay’s theatre reconnaissance CTOL-UAV variant for the IAF will be equipped with an X-band inverse synthetic aperture radar (most likely the EL/M-20600 from ELTA Systems of Israel), a wideband two-way data link, and a ring laser gyro-based inertial navigation system coupled to a GPS receiver. Maiden flight of the drone’s first prototype is scheduled for early 2009, while its CTOL-UAV variant is expected to fly later the same year. Present plans call for procuring up to 80 drones and 30 UAVs. Series production of the Nirbhay will be undertaken by Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd, while the 36MT turbofans will be procured off-the-shelf from NPO Saturn. In October 2006, NPO Saturn had inked a US$100 million contract with the DRDO under which the latter will deliver, starting this December, a total of 200 36MT turbofans through to 2010.--Prasun K. Sengupta

 

[LETHALFORCE]

LiveFist: More on Nirbhay


More on Nirbhay
Prasun K Sengupta has this article with lots of info on the Nirbhay cruise missile programme in the latest issue of FORCE. Here it is in full:

The Defence Research & Development Organisation’s (DRDO) Bangalore-based Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE) is developing an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) that will form an integral part of India’s efforts to develop a credible cruise missile defence system. The UAV called Nirbhay (fearless) will be both air-launched and ship-launched. The fast track project, believed to have been launched in late 2005, calls for the UAV to be developed as both a high-speed target drone capable of simulating the flight profiles of land-attack/anti-ship cruise missiles like China’s DH-10A and Pakistan’s Babur, as well as sea-skimming anti-ship missiles like the AGM-84A Harpoon and C-802A, both of which are operational with the Pakistan Navy.

In addition, a ground-launched conventional takeoff and landing (CTOL) variant of the Nirbhay is also envisaged. This would be a high-speed, medium-altitude vehicle equipped with a 130-kg payload for standoff and theatre-level reconnaissance. It is in response to a specific air staff requirement of the Indian Air Force (IAF).

To be powered by a NPO Saturn-supplied 36MT turbofan rated at 400 kg thrust, the UAV’s target drone variant will be capable of cruising at a speed of Mach 0.92 at medium altitudes (10,000 feet) and 1,100 kph at sea level. The UAV will have a flight endurance of two hours, sea-skim at 10 metres above sea level and be able to pull up to 6.5 G. It would be equipped with a 130 kg payload (of up to 24 different types such as towed radar/infra-red reflector/augmentation devices, EW jammers and hit-scorer avionics). It will have a digital flight management system that will enable the drone to undertake various flight manoeuvres like snaking, pop-up and a 40-degree dive.

The ship-launched variant of Nirbhay will be equipped with twin solid-propellant boosters that will be ejected once the drone is airborne. For the IAF, it will be configured for launch from an IL-76MD transport aircraft. For recovery purposes, both variants of the drone will be equipped with parachutes and inflatable air-bags. The drone will have a maximum takeoff weight of 650 kg (minus the twin boosters), overall length of 5.5 metres, wingspan of 2.5 metres, and a fuselage diameter of 0.40 metres. The UAV’s theatre reconnaissance CTOL-UAV variant for the IAF will be equipped with a tricycle undercarriage, and its mission sensor suite will include an X-band inverse synthetic aperture radar (most likely the EL/M-20600 from ELTA Systems of Israel), a wideband two-way data link, and a ring laser gyro-based inertial navigation system coupled to a GPS receiver.

Maiden flight of the drone’s first prototype is scheduled for early 2009, while its CTOL-UAV variant is expected to fly later the same year. Present plans call for procuring up to 80 drones and 30 UAVs. Series production of the Nirbhay will be undertaken by Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd, while the 36MT turbofans will be procured off-the-shelf from NPO Saturn. Last October, NPO Saturn had inked a USD100 million contract with the DRDO, under which it will deliver, starting this December, a total of 200 36MT turbofans through to 2010.

 

[sayareakd]

all the three services should the taken on board so that all the time and effort of development dont go waste and project dont get delay.

 

[LETHALFORCE]

this project was fast tracked and no news for almost 2 years, i am sure this is completed and in the hands of all 3 services.

 

[LETHALFORCE]

LiveFist - The Best of Indian Defence: UAV




UAV Nishant flies with Indian "Wankel" engine








A week ago, the indigenous Nishant unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) flew for the first time with an Indian engine ("Wankel" comes dangerously close to something else, but what the hell). Here's a statement from DRDO today:

A bright and sunny morning in a historic place of world war II abandoned runway in a small village called Veerapura, 8 Kms from Kolar witnessed another historic event of First ever flight of an indigenous engine powering Nishant Unmanned Air Vehicle. The engine, a wankel Rotary type was a project originated from VRDE, Ahmednagar, and jointly designed and developed by NAL, a CSIR lab, VRDE, Ahmednagar and ADE, Bangalore.

The flight took off at 1157 hrs on the morning of 31 Mar and climbed to an altitude of 1.8 Kms effortlessly before cruising for a duration of 35 mts. The air vehicle was recovered safely at the intended place in dried up Muduvadi lake after a total flight duration of 40 mts. The event was witnessed by key personnel PS Krishnan, Director ADE, Dr CL Dhamejani, Director VRDE and DR. AR Upadhya, Director NAL, Regional Director RCMA and Regional Director,AQA and other senior officers.

The Wankel engine is first of its kind totally designed and developed in the country. Very few countries in the world have the capability to develop and master this technology. The provisional flight clearance for the first indigenous prototype engine was given by the certifying agency, RCMA in a short ceremony held at the launch pad. The engine was cleared for flight after a rigorous ground and endurance test run.

The engine weighs about 30 Kgs, and is known for its high power to weight ratio in single rotor category. The engine performed very well in flight meeting all the requirements of the Air Vehicle. This indigenous engine is expected to replace the present imported engine of Nishant. The engine has a power of 55 hp and can also be used for powering smaller air vehicles, automotive, out board motors, and Industrial applications.

The event signifies an achievement in many ways like it is the first time that a wankel engine is developed with in the country and a UAV is flown with an indigenous engine. It is planned to use this developed technology for future application for the UAV's under development in ADE, Bangalore.

NISHANT is a reconnaissance UAV which has completed its user trials with Indian Army, and a certain number of units will shortly be handed over the the Army for operational use.

 

[venom]

UAV's & UCAV's - Revolution Of Warfare.

There Is No Thread For Uav's & Ucav's on DFI so i decided to start one.

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