Israel Military Industries (IMI) has made a surprise entry into the unmanned air vehicle market, with its ammunition group announcing development activities in the fixed-wing and rotary sectors. Much of the current effort is centered on trying to win an Israeli defence forces competition for a platoon-level UAV system, a request for proposals for which is expected to be released early this year.
IMI has released the first image of its candidate air vehicle for the contest, which company vice-president and ammunition group director Shomron Dasht says has already demonstrated its ability to perform the required missions during tests.
The composite-fuselage Rainbow is 1.4m (4.6ft) long, has a 3.2m wingspan and a maximum take-off weight of 6kg (13.2lb). Powered by an electric motor, the UAV is capable of operating at altitudes up to 3,300ft (1,000m) and has an endurance of 2h, says Dasht, who adds that its ability to glide during a mission means that its motor can be used “very sparingly”. The air vehicle can be hand- or bungee-launched and is recovered using either an arresting net or an airbag.
The Ramat Hasharon-based company must overcome stiff competition if its Rainbow system is to break into the domestic UAV market, with at least four other Israeli companies expected to bid for the new requirement. Other designs expected to contest the programme are the Aeronautics Defense Systems Orbiter, Elbit Systems Skylark, Israel Aircraft Industries I-View 50 and Rafael Skylite B. The selected platform will be equipped with a Controp-supplied electro-optical payload already selected by the Israeli army.
IMI has also announced a teaming agreement under which it will use a fully autonomous unmanned helicopter developed by Israeli firm Steadicopter during the development of a rotary UAV system.
ARIE EGOZI/TEL AVIV
Source: Flight International
