Rafael has adopted a new strategy to increase its activities in the unmanned air systems (UAS) sector, and is offering operators platform upgrades using its payloads and other systems.
The Israel-based defence development firm abandoned efforts to get into the UAS business as a platform developer, and has previously signed a cooperation agreement with Israeli manufacturer Aeronautics Defense Systems.
However, Haim Jacobovitz, vice president and general manager of the company's network-centric warfare sector, said it is now offering users of small- and medium-sized UAS a "mission enhancement suite".
"By putting our payloads and data links on these platforms they get an operational boost that makes them a real combat system," Jacobovitz said.
Rafael's upgrade proposal is based on some systems which are reduced-size versions of payloads originally developed for manned combat aircraft.
One such example is the Recce-U, a downsized version of the Reccelite tactical reconnaissance pod, which collects high-resolution imagery by day and night with a wide field of regard.
The Recce-U is available in two configurations: a pod-housed sensor for carriage by large UAS like the General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Predator B, or Israel Aerospace Industries Heron-TP, and a split design for use by smaller types.
Source: Flight International
