Israel Aerospace Industries’ (IAI) Elta North America subsidiary has been awarded a $15.5 million, fixed-price contract to provide the US Air Force with counter-unmanned air system equipment.
According to the agreement, Elta will deliver 21 manpads kits. The equipment will produced in Israel, with training provided in the USA by July 2017, the US Department of Defense says.
Last year IAI unveiled its Drone Guard system for the detection, identification and flight disruption of UAS. This integrates a 3D radar and electro-optical (EO) sensors for detection and identification, plus jamming technology.
To detect low-signature, low-level and low-speed airborne targets, Elta has adapted its radars, which include the EL/M-2026-series, for detection at ranges of between 5.4nm (10km) and 10.8nm, and adapted its EO sensors for visual target identification.
Elta’s jamming systems can be used in concert with the detection and identification sensors, or run continuously as a standalone system. This can disrupt an unmanned vehicle’s flight, either via a “return home” function which causes it to return to its point-of-origin, or by shutting it down, resulting in a crash landing.
Source: FlightGlobal.com
