Germany’s Rheinmetall Defence Electronics and Austria’s Diamond Aircraft have begun test-flying a DA42 Twin Star equipped with an optionally piloted surveillance and reconnaissance system called OPALE.
The first of two DA42 OPALE prototypes began flying in Austria last month and made its international debut this month at Malaysia’s Langkawi air show. Rheinmetall engineer Christian Teuber says the aircraft is being marketed for border, oil pipeline and powerplant patrol missions in Malaysia as well as in Austria, Germany, Libya and Thailand.
Teuber says the DA42 OPALE will be ready for service in late 2006 with Libya, which has asked Rheinmetall to prepare a formal offer, and is the most likely launch customer. Rheinmetall has developed an unmanned system and ground station for the DA42, but Teuber says it is intended OPALE operators will fly the aircraft with an observation pilot except during high-risk missions.
Diamond has installed auxiliary fuel tanks on the DA42 to give the OPALE an endurance of up to 14h. A variety of infrared sensors and cameras are now being tested, but the radar is still under development.
BRENDAN SOBIE/LANGKAWI
Source: Flight International
