ORBITER 4 Multi-Mission STUAS and ORBITER 1K loitering munition
During MSPO 2017, Aeronautics Group presented its two newest products from the ORBITER family. This Israeli company is already well known in Poland where it has an established position. The Polish Armed Forces have been using the ORBITERs since December 2005, and were deployed by Polish Special Forces in Afghanistan. During MSPO 2017 the company revealed that its UAS are deployed by more than 70 various customers in roughly 50 countries around the world.
The first one is the ORBITER 4, which is based on the ORBITER 3. It is presented by the Aeronautics Group as multi-mission STUAS/NSUAS (Small Tactical Unmanned Air System/Naval Shipborne Unmanned Air System) solutions. According to the producer, it can carry and operate two different payloads at the same time. It has an open architecture, which means that additional sensors and sub-systems can be easily integrated. The ORBITER 4 can carry a Maritime Patrol Radar (MPR), cellular interception sensor (which allows the UAS to carry out various ISR missions over different theaters, exploiting various communication technologies in-use by targets), satellite communication, Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) and Controp‘s XR electro-optic payload. According to official data, the ORBITER 4 has a maximum endurance of more than 24 hours, maximum takeoff weight of 50 kg, and maximum flight altitude of 5500 meters. It can be navigated with and without GPS and data link. The ORBITER 4 is manned by 3 operators.
Another product presented by Aeronautics Group during MSPO 2017 in Kielce was the catapult-launched ORBITER 1K loitering unmanned system. According to the producer, the ORBITER 1K can be given a particular waypoint and is then capable of detecting and attacking either a moving or stationary target. The ORBITER 1K can also operate on the base of a given area range: the ORBITER 1K independently searches for targets, detects them and then attacks them. The system can return to a home base and land using a parachute and an airbag. The ORBITER 1K can loiter in the air for 2-3 hours.
Dr. Robert Czulda
