Selex ES's newly created Air and Space Systems division inherited all airborne capabilities, technologies and products from Finmeccanica's various Selex companies - and has set out a demanding roadmap for the newest member of the Falco unmanned air vehicle family.
Unveiled at the 2011 Paris air show by former Selex Galileo and now Selex ES chief Fabrizio Giulianini - and flown for the first time on 18 July 2012 - the latest Falco EVO (Evolution) model is aimed at expanding the spectrum of tactical missions the Falco unmanned air system can carry out.
In its current 490kg (1,080lb) maximum take-off version, the UAS has been fully operational as an ISTAR (intelligence, surveillance, targeting and reconnaissance) node since 2008, and has been sold to four undisclosed customers.
"The growth capabilities of the Falco UAS, together with the successful employment in a wide range of operational theatres and environments, and the market request for a flexible platform capable of performing longer-persistence ISTAR missions with multiple sensors, has pushed Selex to enlarge the UAS family by providing a mixed-platform solution based on a single core product, offering reduced acquisition, operating and lifecycle costs," says Furio Bozzola, vice-president of Selex's UAS and simulators business.
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Selex ES |
The Falco EVO configuration completed an initial trials campaign in September 2012 |
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Source: Flight International
