UAVs and UCAVs

[RPK]

Future: Avenger
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems

Class: Hunt-and-kill
Habitat: Flight-operations center for General Atomics Aeronautical Systems in Palmdale, California, where it’s performing final test flights for prospective buyers
Behavior: The stealthy jet-powered Avenger is packed with 3,000 pounds of surveillance equipment and lethal munitions, such as laser-guided Hellfire missiles and 500-pound GBU-38 bombs. It can reach speeds of up to 530 mph, far faster than its spindly predecessors, the Predator and Reaper. With fuel packed into every available nook of the fuselage, it can loiter above a target for nearly 20 hours.
Notable Feature: Its internal weapons bay allows for interchangeable payloads, such as next-gen wide-area surveillance sensors.

 

[RPK]

Future: Zephyr
QinetiQ

Size: Less than 100 pounds, 75-foot wingspan Habitat: 50,000 feet above Yuma, Arizona, where London-based manufacturer QinetiQ is testing prototypes Notable Feature:

 

[RPK]

Future: Boeing HALE (High Altitude Long Endurance) Concept
Boeing

Size: 7 tons, 250-foot wingspan Habitat: 65,000 feet above future battlefields, where it will provide 24/7 surveillance and data communication Notable Feature: The plane stays up for 10 days, powered by a Ford truck engine modified to run on hydrogen fuel.

 

[RPK]

Future: Global Observer
AeroVironment

Size: Weight undisclosed, 175-foot wingspan Habitat: Made by Monrovia, California’s AeroVironment, Global Observer will circle up to 65,000 feet above battlefields, disaster sites, borders—any locale in need of aerial surveillance or a wireless data link Notable Feature: Liquid hydrogen powers an electric generator, which drives four propellors.

 

[RPK]

Future: Samarai
Lockheed Martin

Class: Biomimetic Size: 150 grams, 12-inch wingspan Habitat: Lockheed Martin’s Advanced Tech Laboratories in Bethesda, Maryland Behavior: Like the spiraling maple-leaf seedlings—more commonly known as whirlybirds—that inspired it, the single wing spins around a central hub to create lift. A miniature jet engine provides thrust. A tiny flap on the trailing edge of the wing, its only moving part, controls direction. If engineers can shrink it to three inches and 15 grams, the autonomous device could be used to spy indoors. Notable Feature: In the future, a camera mounted on the central hub that snaps a picture once every rotation will collect enough images to stitch together full-motion video. Diet: Today, batteries; but engineers plan to feed the next version propane, which is light and readily available in the military supply chain

 

[LETHALFORCE]

http://www.spacedaily.com/reports/Israels_arms_industry_produces_giant_UAV_999.html

Israel's arms industry produces giant UAV

by Staff Writers
Tel Aviv, Israel (UPI) Feb 22, 2009
Israel Aerospace Industries' unveiling of a unique long-range unmanned aerial vehicle that can reach Iran is a big technological breakthrough for a defense industry that has carved a niche for itself in the global arms market.

The 4.5-ton Heron TP, dubbed the Eitan, which is Hebrew for "strong," is 79 feet long. It has a wingspan of 86 feet -- about the size of a Boeing 737 airliner - and stay aloft for 20 hours at high altitude, a capability Israeli UAVs have hitherto lacked.

Powered by a 1,200-horsepower turbojet engine, it has a maximum altitude of 40,000 feet and can carry hundreds of pounds of equipment, such as high-resolution cameras and electronic systems and presumably weapons.

The aircraft, the largest UAV in operational service anywhere in the world, made its debut Sunday at the Israeli air force's big Tel Nof base in central Israel where UAV squadrons operate the Samson and Delilah craft.

The air force declines to specify what missions the Eitan will fly, or whether it was designed for use against Iran.

But state-owned IAI, the flagship of Israel's defense industry, says it has the capability of reaching the Gulf. Defense officials said the Eitan could be used for a variety of missions, such as surveillance and electronic jamming.

Retired Gen. Shlomo Bron, now a security specialist with the Institute for National Security Studies at Tel Aviv University, hails the Eitan as a breakthrough.

"Its staying power and the altitude it can reach means it is able to cover ground continuously and is able to cover large territory," he said.

Israel's defense industry has emerged as a world leader in UAV technology and exports the systems to a dozen countries, including the United States which has deployed them in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Five of the NATO members fighting in those theaters use Israeli-designed UAVs. France deploys the Heron, the Eitan's smaller predecessor, and is expected to acquire the new system. The British use the Hermes 450 built by Israel's Elbit Systems.

Elbit recently announced the development of the Hermes 900, with longer endurance, higher ceiling and advanced satellite communications. It, too, is reported to be able to reach Iran.

The Israeli navy plans to use unmanned craft on counter-terrorism missions along the Mediterranean coast. At least two systems have been acquired, including one known as the Protector, developed by Rafael Advanced Systems Ltd.

The Israeli defense industry has been undergoing profound change in recent years, reflecting developments in military doctrine and in the nature of the military threats.

In January, the government announced it would stop covering the deficit of Israel Military Industries, which had specialized in manufacturing guns and ammunition such as Uzi submachine guns, artillery barrels and mortars. This is now deemed to be part of the traditional arms industry that has become non-competitive.

Instead, the primary focus has switched to the high-tech sector, which has helped cushion the economy during the global recession and is a major factor in economic growth.

Precision weaponry, electronic systems and miniaturization, including robotics, is now the primary focus.

Israel claims it's the third largest defense equipment exporter in the world, even though it is restricted from selling systems that contain U.S. components. IAI had to drop a $2 billion sale of Phalcon early warning aircraft to China because the Pentagon blocked it for that reason.

According to official figures, despite a drop in defense exports of 18.5 percent in 2009, the value of export sales rose to $6.75 billion -- up from $6.3 billion in 2008.

The Israeli industry has frequently developed specialties because of particular problems the military encountered in its countless operations against its many foes over the years.

As an example, it was the need to find a counter to Soviet-designed missiles that shot down a quarter of the air force in the first days of the 1973 war against Egypt and Syria that led the Israelis into developing UAVs.

Within two decades they were the acknowledged masters of that specialty.

The army's problems in urban fighting during the Palestinian uprisings, where the use of armor was greatly restricted, led to the development of lightweight armor for small vehicles such as jeeps to protect their crews.

The U.S. wars in Iraq and Afghanistan produced armor exports totaling $2.3 billion.

 

[LETHALFORCE]

http://www.spacedaily.com/reports/Global_Hawk_Makes_History_With_First_Roundtrip_Flight_999.html

Global Hawk Makes History With First Roundtrip Flight

Northrop Grumman's RQ-4 Global Hawk unmanned aircraft system
(UAS) made aviation history Feb. 2 when it successfully completed its first roundtrip flight from the company's Palmdale, Calif., manufacturing facility. AF-20, a Block 30 Global Hawk built for the U.S. Air Force, performed the historic mission, soaring at altitudes of 58,300 feet for approximately four hours and 18 minutes.

"This was the first time ever that the same Global Hawk has taken off and landed in a single mission from Palmdale, heralding a new era of flights in and out of the facility," said George Guerra, Northrop Grumman vice president of High-Altitude, Long-Endurance systems.

"It's also a huge leap forward for the site as we achieve full production acceptance activities and direct deliveries to the aircraft's main operating base at Beale Air Force Base, Calif."

AF-20 is the eighth consecutive production Global Hawk to complete its operational check flight on the first attempt. The mission also marked the first time the sixth Air Force mission control element and a King Air chase aircraft were utilized.

Prior to this flight, two Global Hawks, AF-12 and AF-16, simultaneously flew historic missions on Dec. 14, 2009. AF-12, one of two Block 20 aircraft to be modified with the Battlefield Airborne Communications Node (BACN) Joint Urgent Operation Need (JUON) system payload, became the first UAS to land at Palmdale.

At the same time, the AF-16 aircraft, which will be equipped with an airborne signals intelligence payload, became the first Block 30 to fly out of Beale Air Force Base, where it is currently being used for training and for initial operational test and evaluation later this year.

Part of the Air Force's Objective Gateway program, BACN is an airborne gateway and communications relay system that enables warfighters to rapidly share data and information gathered by multiple users across multiple dissimilar systems present within the battlefield," said Guerra. "It is the top urgent operational need requested by field commanders and scheduled for deployment by the end of this year."

AF-16 was first delivered to Beale Air Force Base on Nov. 24, 2009, after completing months of development flight tests at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., and receiving a military airworthiness certification from the Air Force.

Since then, two additional Block 30 aircraft have been delivered to Beale Air Force Base, with all three planned for deployment later this year in support of overseas contingency operations. To date, 21 production Global Hawks have been delivered to the Air Force and other customers.

"Logging more than 30,000 combat hours since its first deployment nine years ago, Global Hawk is a highly sought after intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance system in theater," said Steve Amburgey, Global Hawk program director for the 303d Aeronautical Systems Group at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio.

"Demonstrating its versatility and persistence, it was recently used for disaster relief support in Haiti where it provided more than 3,600 images of affected areas."

 

[LETHALFORCE]

http://www.spacedaily.com/reports/Boeing_Phantom_Eye_Hydrogen_Powered_Vehicle_Takes_Shape_999.html

Boeing 'Phantom Eye' Hydrogen Powered Vehicle Takes Shape

Boeing has begun to build Phantom Eye - its first unmanned, liquid-hydrogen powered, high altitude long endurance (HALE) demonstrator aircraft.

"The essence of Phantom Eye is its propulsion system," said Darryl Davis, Boeing Phantom Works president. "After five years of technology development, we are now deploying rapid prototyping to bring together an unmanned aerial vehicle [UAV] with a breakthrough liquid-hydrogen propulsion system that will be ready to fly early next year."

Phantom Eye's entire propulsion system - including the engine, turbo chargers and engine control system - successfully completed an 80-hour test in an altitude chamber on March 1, clearing the way for the propulsion system and UAV to be assembled.

The twin-engine Phantom Eye demonstrator will have a 150-foot wingspan and be capable of flying for more than four days at altitudes up to 65,000 feet while carrying a payload of up to 450 pounds. Phantom Eye is designed to maintain a persistent presence in the stratosphere over a specific area, while performing missions that could include intelligence, reconnaissance, surveillance and communication. Boeing also is developing a larger HALE that will stay aloft for more than 10 days and carry payloads of more than 2,000 pounds, and building "Phantom Ray," a fighter-sized UAV that will be a flying test bed for advanced technologies.

"We believe Phantom Eye and Phantom Ray represent two areas where the unmanned aerial vehicle market is heading, and rapid prototyping is the key to getting us there," said Dave Koopersmith, Advanced Boeing Military Aircraft vice president. "These innovative demonstrators reduce technology risks and set the stage for meeting both military and commercial customers' future needs."

Phantom Eye evolved from Boeing's earlier success with the piston-powered Condor that set several records for altitude and endurance in the late 1980s. Boeing, as the Phantom Eye system designer, is working closely with Ball Aerospace, Aurora Flight Sciences, Ford Motor Co. and MAHLE Powertrain to develop the demonstrator.

Phantom Ray evolved from the X-45C program. It is scheduled to make its first flight in December.

 

[LETHALFORCE]

http://www.spacedaily.com/reports/New_Israeli_drones_can_reach_Iran_999.html

New Israeli drones can reach Iran

by Staff Writers
Tel Aviv, Israel (UPI) Mar 10, 2009
The Israeli air force has rolled out a fleet
of massive pilotless planes that fly for a full day with the ability to reach the Persian Gulf.

Made by Israel Aerospace Industries, the Heron TP unmanned aerial vehicles have a massive wingspan of 84 feet, nearly equal to a Boeing 747 passenger jet.

Also named Eitan, meaning "strong" in Hebrew, the spy plane is Israel's largest and, with its 24-to-36 hour endurance it can fly well within the reach of Iran.

Launched at the Tel Nof Air Base in central Israel, the plane has the potential "to be able to conduct new missions down the line, as they become relevant," air force chief Maj. Gen. Ido Nehustan was quoted as saying by The Jerusalem Post.

Military experts say the drone strongly resembles its predecessor but can fly much higher -- 36,000 feet -- and stay in the air longer.

Israeli military officials have declined to disclose the size of the fleet or whether it was purposely designed for use against Iran.

The launch, though, comes at precarious moment and could be seen as a message for Tehran. Israel worries about Iran because of Tehran's controversial nuclear program, missiles and repeated threats against the Jewish state.

Despite its huge proportions, the aircraft's silent engine makes it a valuable asset for surveillance operations.

Israeli-made drones have come a long way over the past 30 years, "from the humble beginnings of small UAVs with operational outputs during the first Lebanon war, to the varied array of high-tech and multi-operational UAVs that accompany almost operational aspect of the air force," Nehushtan was quoted saying by the Post.

While suited to watch Iran, analysts suggest the drone could run into problems if sent in that direction.

"The Eitan can certainly reach Iran but only by flying through Iraqi airspace -- something which would cause massive offense to the people it was flying above," the Observation Postm, a blog associated with London's Daily Mirror, reported.

Similar to the U.S.-made MQ-9 Reaper, the Eitan, said the report, "does not have the capability to fly around the Arabian Peninsula, reach Iran and return to Israel."

Israel is suspected of planning pre-emtive strikes against Iranian nuclear sites if it is shown Tehran is developing nuclear weapons. Iran says its nucelar program is for peaceful purposes.

Iran is shielded by a sophisticated ground-to-air missile system and both "America and Israel would be unlikely to use piloted planes, except for major targets," the Observation Post said.







.

 

[planeman]

Future: Demon
BAE Systems

Class: Autonomous
Habitat: Defense giant BAE Systems laboratory in London
Behavior: The Demon flies with no fins and almost no moving parts, so it rarely needs repairs. Software makes it partially autonomous.
Notable Features: The entire body of the craft is shaped like a wing. Dozens of thrusters situated on its top and bottom shape airflow, replacing the work typically done by tail fins and ailerons. Onboard software varies the strength of each thruster to control pitch, side-to-side movement (yaw) and roll. BAE Systems engineers hope to begin test flights this month.

This is a fascinating project I've been watching for a few years. The basic concept is using vectored thrust along the entire trailing edges instead of moving control surfaces - promises to reduce weight and increase stealth. The UAV itself is tiny and was built by a university team with BAE Systems funding I think.

 

[planeman]

More BAE Mantis

Prototype:

Mock-up shows size and possible weapons load:

 

[LETHALFORCE]

http://www.spacedaily.com/reports/UK_Industry_Targets_GBP20_Billion_Global_UAS_Market_999.html


UK Industry Targets GBP20 Billion Global UAS Market

A|D|Shas hosted an event with Lord Drayson, Minister of State for Strategic Defence Acquisition Reform, at the Military Air Solutions site of BAE Systems in Warton, Lancashire.
Lord Drayson addressed the need for a refreshed Defence Industrial Strategy (DIS), lessons learned from the first DIS, why the nation should support the defence industry with a particular focus on Unmanned Aerial Systems, their growth in military operations and application in the civil and homeland security domains.

Rees Ward, Chief Executive of A|D|S and Nigel Whitehead, BAE Systems' Group Managing Director Programmes and Support also addressed the event.

Conducting the 'dirty, dull and dangerous' missions, UAS are proving their utility in Afghanistan delivering increased flexibility, ubiquity, intelligence and situational understanding to our armed forces. As technologies and civil applications mature UAS are poised to deliver immense societal, environmental and financial benefits.

The UAS industry is developing capability that is clearly applicable across many sectors from reducing transport congestion and its carbon footprint to global environmental monitoring and disaster relief support - for example UAS were recently used in Haiti following the earthquake there. Ultimately, the industry supports the UK's high value manufacturing base and enhances the digital economy.

Rees Ward, Chief Executive of A|D|S, said:

"We welcome Lord Drayson's commitment to a renewed Defence Industrial Strategy that the UK defence industry hopes will be an integral part of the forthcoming Strategic Defence Review. The review will set out the long-term needs of the country and its armed forces and this will assist the industry in Britain to take its own decisions to be able to provide the required capabilities for our troops.

"A key part of the future for defence and the UK industry in particular will be unmanned aerial systems or UAS. Many British-based companies are well-positioned to seize the opportunities offered by this newly emerging market that is estimated to be worth pound20 billion between now and 2020. Applications in the civil sector from disaster relief and climate monitoring to security and border control deliver even greater benefits to the country from this expertise.

"As Europe's number one defence industry, second only to the US globally, it is vital that we play a full role in these new markets for emerging technologies and to do so we must work in partnership with Government. Our industry employs over 300,000 people across all regions of the UK delivering over pound35 billion worth of value to our economy every year plus a further pound5 billion in exports. As the country seeks to recover from recession our industry provides a reliable route to recovery alongside these high-value jobs and the key capabilities for our troops to keep our country safe. Ensuring the sustainability of this crucial contribution should be a key aim of Government for the long-term benefit of Britain."

 

[notinlove]

F-16s Losing Their Pilots

March 14, 2010: The U.S. Air Force has ordered 126 QF-16 remotely controlled F-16 fighters. These will be used as aerial targets. The QF-16s will be converted from existing F-16s that have been retired from service. This first order of QF-16s will be delivered over the next four years.

The QF-16 replaces the older QF-4 drone aircraft. Nearly 250 F-4 Phantom fighters were modified to fly by remote control. The mods cost about $1.4 million per aircraft. The QF-4 first appeared when the U.S. Air Force retired it's F-4 fighters in the 1980s.

Training operations destroy up to 25 remotely controlled fighters a year. The existing supply of decommissioned F-4s will keep the air force going until about 2011. Before that, QF-16s will enter service.

Before the QF-4, the air force had converted 218 F-100s (for use from 1983-92), 136 F-102s (from 1974-85) and 210 F-106s (1990-98) to act as full scale target aircraft. There are smaller UAVs that are used as small scale targets. The full scale models were needed to fully test the capabilities of new, and existing, missiles. Nothing like using real missiles against real targets to build pilot confidence, and be sure the damn things work.

The QF type aircraft can be flown with, or without, a pilot on board. The aircraft use GPS to help with navigation, and to insure that QFs flying in formation don't collide with one another. The aircraft also carry sensors to detect near misses by missiles.

The UAV version of an aircraft is superior, in some ways, to one with a pilot in it. This is mainly because pilots black out when the aircraft makes turns too sharply, at high speed. The air force discovered how effective this capability was during the 1970s, when they rigged some jet fighters to fly without a pilot, and had them go up against manned aircraft.

http://www.strategypage.com/htmw/htairfo/articles/20100314.aspx

 

[LETHALFORCE]

http://news.outlookindia.com/item.aspx?677012

Army Set Sights on Loitering Missile For Its Soldiers

The Indian Army is arming its infantry soldiers with a medium range loitering missile that can strike at a target after hovering over it for 30 minutes and sending in critical data on the enemy installation.

The army has issued an open Request for Information (RFI) to major global defence companies seeking to know if they can supply a missile system with such operational characteristics.

"The RFI has been issued earlier this month. The loitering missile is basically an unmanned aerial vehicle which can transmit data after hovering over a target undetected for about half-an-hour and later self-destruct on the target, inflicting damage to the enemy installations," an army officer said here today.

Since India does not have an indigenous product in this range of armed UAVs, the RFI sought details on the product's cruising speed, maximum range at which it can engage a target, its loitering time, data link's range, capabilities to hit and accuracy, attack from the top, abort an attack after locking on to target and re-designating a target during a mission.

Apart from seeking information on the radar cross section, the army has listed day and night camera payload, launcher, ground control station, data link system, and an inbuilt simulator as requirements for the missile system.

The army would also like the loitering missile to have a conventional warhead, apart from anti-tank and anti-material warheads with deep penetration against armour capability.

Globally, Israel Aerospace Industries and US' Lockheed Martin are the two major loitering missile developers and manufacturers.

 

[plugwater]

India lines up Israeli drones in race with Pak

NEW DELHI: New battlelines are being drawn for a spy drone versus spy drone face-off between India and Pakistan. Even as Islamabad continues to badger Washington to give it armed drones like `Predators', New Delhi is quietly working towards bolstering its fleet of reconnaissance and `killer' Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs).

In the latest such contract inked with Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) a few days ago, India has ordered a few more `Heron' MALE (medium-altitude, long endurance) drones, ground control systems and data terminals for around Rs 700 crore, defence ministry sources said on Thursday.

While India is currently way ahead of Pakistan in the drone race, armed UAVs in the hands of Pakistan could change the ballgame altogether. As it is, most of the US military goodies like F-16s that Pakistan is getting for the war on terror are meant more for waging conventional warfare rather than counter-terrorism.

While Pakistan has been after US to get `strategic' UAVs like `Predators', the latter has so far only agreed to supply `tactical' unarmed `Shadow' drones for intelligence-gathering missions.

`Predators' and `Reapers', controlled from hundreds of miles away through satellites, can unleash havoc with their `Hellfire' missiles, as is being witnessed in the ongoing American operations against Taliban in the Af-Pak region.

The importance of UAVs in modern-day warfare cannot be overstated, both for their snooping as well as targeting capabilities. Indian armed forces are slowly but surely emerging as big-time drone operators, having inducted well over 100 UAVs since the 1999 Kargil conflict.

These primarily include Israeli ones like Searcher-II and Heron, as also some Harpy `killer' drones designed to detect and destroy enemy radars by functioning like cruise missiles.

Under the latest deal, Navy will now get two more Herons to add to its UAV fleet of eight Searcher-II and four Herons, which are being used for maritime surveillance up to 200 nautical miles.

There is also the ongoing Rs 1,163 crore joint IAI-DRDO project for NRUAVs (naval rotary UAVs) or unmanned helicopters operating from warship decks for advanced ISR (intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance) missions.

As reported by TOI earlier, Army is also going in for two more `troops' (8 birds each) of advanced Heron UAVs for Rs 1,118 crore after the Defence Acquisitions Council approved it in February 2009.

Apart from using UAVs for spying and directing precision-guided munitions, IAF is now looking to induct Israeli Harop `killer' UAVs from 2011 onwards. Like the Harpy, Harop drones are capable of loitering over targets before they explode into them. But what makes them more advanced is that they also have electro-optical sensors to make them capable of even hitting important enemy military installations like missile sites.

While Harpy and Harop are kamikaze UAVs which perish with the targets, Predators and Reapers are more like fighters since they return to their bases to get a fresh stock of missiles for new missions.

The next phase will be that of full-fledged UCAVs (combat UAVs) being currently developed to replace manned fighter jets for medium and long-range conventional or nuclear bombing missions.

India, on its part, has also set the indigenous ball rolling. After Nishant and Lakshya drones, DRDO is developing the `Rustom' MALE drones, with the Army keen to induct seven `troops' of them.

Moreover, as reported earlier, Army also wants to induct man-portable `mini' and `micro' UAVs for short-range surveillance and NBC (nuclear, biological, chemical) detection in the battlefield. Army, in fact, wants to induct these miniature spy drones right down to the battalion-level by 2017.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/...ones-in-race-with-Pak/articleshow/5724232.cms

 

[gogbot]

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Pakistan did not even get UAV's until last year.

WE had them for a over a decade now, what race are they on about.
Unless China wants to sell PAk its Brand new machines i don't think a race is even possible.

 

[pppppppp]

Predator's existence in pak''s arsenal itself is a big deal and is far superior to any drones India has. So it has to play a catch up game now.

 

[gogbot]

Predator's existence in pak''s arsenal itself is a big deal and is far superior to any drones India has. So it has to play a catch up game now.

Even if you Pakistan has a fully equipped Predator.

Which i really doubt.

How many do they have a dozen or so.

India on the mean while has well over 300 UAVs , and has multiple different types and classes. As well as a handful in development on the domestic front.

Pakistan has yet to even achieve a triple figure fleet yet.

either way, UAV's and UCAV's are for those who achieve Air superiority or Dominance , or at the very least some form of Air- parity.

Pakistan lacks the offensive capabilities to achieve any of those. Its Air force is built to fight a defence war inside Pakistan.

A small number of UAV;s may provide Pakistan with more Intel, but a small fleet of UCAV's is hardly a game changer.

Less than a squadron of air craft is not going to change anything.

 

[LETHALFORCE]

Predator's existence in pak''s arsenal itself is a big deal and is far superior to any drones India has. So it has to play a catch up game now.

Give a credible link that Pak has predator

 

[LETHALFORCE]

http://www.emoiz.com/india-to-buy-drones-from-israel

India to buy drones from Israel

NEW DELHI: India will buy spy drones from Israel.

According to Indian media reports, in a contract inked with Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) a few days ago, India has ordered a few more `Heron” MALE (medium-altitude, long endurance) drones, ground control systems and data terminals for around Rs 700 crore, defence ministry sources said.

Under the latest deal, Indian Navy will now get two more Herons to add to its UAV fleet of eight Searcher-II and four Herons, which are being used for maritime surveillance up to 200 nautical miles.

There is also the ongoing Rs 1,163 crore joint IAI-DRDO project for NRUAVs (naval rotary UAVs) or unmanned helicopters operating from warship decks for advanced ISR (intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance) missions.

Indian Army is also going in for two more `troops” (8 birds each) of advanced Heron UAVs for Rs 1,118 crore after the Defence Acquisitions Council approved it in February 2009.