Sale and Lease Deals for HERON MKII

Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) has inked two agreements to sell and lease HERON MKII UAS to an undisclosed Asian nation for “tens of millions of dollars,” the company announced on 25 January. The contracts cover the drones, ground-based control systems and reconnaissance payloads.

With a wider, stronger chassis than its predecessor, making for easier maintenance with no increase in weight, HERON MKII reached an operating altitude of 35,000ft, has a maximum speed of 140kts and offers endurance of up to 45 hours. Flexible in application, it can carry a wide range of long-range reconnaissance and sensor payloads, or COMINT/SIGINT equipment. Its outstanding operational characteristic, however, is its ability to provide stand-off ISR with no need to compromise borders or contested airspace. It also boasts improved avionics and an uprated engine.

“The systems will operate in a land configuration and will carry out different missions, border protection among them. The HERON MKII UAVs can land on any airstrip and can manoeuvre under extreme weather conditions,” explained Moshe Levy, General Manager of IAI’s Military Aircraft Group.