France's Sagem has unveiled two new versions of its Sperwer unmanned air vehicle (UAV) which extend its capabilities while retaining a common architecture and systems.
Sperwer-HV is a high speed, turbojet-powered UAV with forward-swept wing and canard. Sagem says the UAV will allow faster and stealthier penetration of air defence systems. It has a 50kg (110lb) payload which it can carry 400km (220nm) at up to 400kt (740km/h) and 33,000ft.
A long-endurance Sperwer-LE is aimed at 12h flights at 20,000ft.The UAV has a cropped-delta wing and can also carry a 50kg payload. The original Sperwer is also a cropped delta.
Sagem says the three Sperwer variants can use the same ground station and are equipped with the same avionics, datalink and catapult launch system. The company says flight tests will start later this year.
Source: Flight International
