Elbit Systems may enter bidding for the US Army's proposed extended range multi-purpose unmanned air vehicle through its US subsidiary EFW.
Eli Yitzhaki, a senior business development official with Elbit Silver Arrow, says "serious consideration" is being given to ERMP, but the company is awaiting release of a tender.
The project is undergoing a high-level review by the US Army.
Fort Worth, Texas-based EFW would probably offer the Elbit Hermes 1500 medium-altitude long-endurance UAV. It also could propose the Hermes 450LR long-range variant, depending on the final ERMP specification.
Declared contenders for ERMP include Northrop Grumman, with Israel Aircraft Industries and Aurora Flight Sciences, offering Strike Heron; and General Atomics Aeronautical Systems with AAI offering the options of a modified I-Gnat, or the MQ-1 Predator. Boeing is exploring a bid based on the A160 Hummingbird unmanned helicopter.
Yitzhaki says EFW is seeking to significantly expand UAV activities in the USA. In June, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) selected the Hermes 450 to perform border surveillance demonstrations. The same Hermes 450 vehicle had been used by the US Navy at NAS Fallon, Nevada.
EFW had to terminate its arrangement with Fallon to meet the DHS requirement because of a lack of available air vehicles. Yitzhaki says that the company plans to bring more UAVs into the USA to pursue other near-term opportunities under the company's growth strategy.
Source: Flight International
