STEWART PENNEY / TEL AVIV
Malat, the unmanned air vehicles division of Israel Aircraft Industries, at the end of last month flew the first prototype EADS Eagle 1 medium-altitude, long-endurance platform equipped with a satellite communications (satcom) system.
EADS's Eagle 1 is based on Malat's Heron platform, but a key difference is the addition of a satcom system - housed in a bulbous nose - to allow beyond-line-of-sight communications, says David Schwartz, deputy general manager Malat programmes.
The Eagle 1 also has an autoland system using a differential GPS-satellite navigation system as the primary sensor. Malat's in-service autoland system - on Swiss Rangers and Belgian Hunters - uses laser guidance, says Schwartz. Another change is the addition of an AST liquid anti-ice system, similar to that used on business jets such as the Hawker 800.
Schwartz says this is part of Malat's drive to improve the airworthiness of UAVs. He adds that there has been a shift in attitudes towards UAV accidents. Initially, airworthiness was less of a concern as there is no pilot to be injured, and redundant systems increase a platform's cost and complexity. However, the cost of the mission payload can be 50-80% of a platform's cost, and regular losses of such systems is too expensive for an air force to sustain, he says.
Malat has also used the Heron as the basis for its Valiant platform, which is effectively the same air vehicle with a heavy fuel engine. Schwartz says such engines appeal to armies which are comfortable with diesel fuel, while he expects air forces to use the Heron/Eagle with a traditional aero engine.
Meanwhile, the company has equipped a Searcher tactical UAV with a maritime patrol radar. Schwartz says he believes this is the first time such a combination has been built and entered service, although he declines to name the customer.
The radar is a version of the Elta EL/M-2022A(V)3 radar in-service on some Lockheed Martin P-3 Orions as well as smaller fixed- wing platforms and helicopters.
Source: Flight International
