Optionally Piloted Surveillance Aircraft for Indonesian Air Force

PT Indo Pacific Communication and Defence (IPCD), which has already delivered target drones to the Indonesian Air Force (IAF) is using Indo Defence 2016 to showcase the ELLIPSE. Manufactured by LH Aviation in France, the LH-10 ELLIPSE is a compact aircraft, constructed almost entirely from composites and – in its unmanned version – featuring an impressive endurance of almost 24 hours.

The piloted model on display in Jakarta is company owned for test and demonstration purposes, but Mönch understands that IPCD is scheduled to deliver an ‘optionally piloted’ version to the IAF by the end of this year, for evaluation. This version, the LHD, was unveiled at Paris Air Show 2015.

The display model features a retractable nose turret, intended to mount a wide variety of configurable ISR sensors. It is powered by a low fuel-burn Rotax 912 engine, but also offered with a heavy fuel engine as an alternative. MT understands that the aircraft can also be configured for light attack, using underwing weapon stations.

Tim Mahon