Elbit Systems Ltd. (NASDAQ: ESLT) today announced that its wholly-owned subsidiary EFW Inc., Fort Worth, Texas, has been awarded a contract to operate its Hermes 450 Unmanned Air Vehicle (UAV) system in support of the office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD), Director of Test and Evaluation, Joint UAV Joint Test and Evaluation (JUAV-JT&E), at NAS Fallon, Nevada.
The contract was awarded by SENTEL Corporation and the flight services will be performed jointly by Elbit Systems' subsidiaries EFW and Silver Arrow, at several U.S. locations including NAS Fallon.
The contract was awarded after rigorous validation flights demonstrating the Hermes 450’s capabilities and versatility. The Hermes 450 will provide a reliable turnkey system for seamless integration of UAVs with other operational military elements. The effort will encompass operations with forces from all four U.S. services. As of early July 2003, the system had already conducted more than a dozen highly successful missions in support of U.S. Navy carrier air wing training and JUAV test and evaluation exercises.
EFW’s President Tim Taylor commented: “EFW is pleased to provide the Hermes system to support the continued growth of UAV applications and missions for the U.S. Military. The Hermes 450 is a proven system that has accumulated thousands of operational flight hours, and we expect that this effort will show its potential for new applications.”
The Hermes 450 is a an upper range tactical UAV system with advanced composite structure and optimized aerodynamics. Advanced avionics enable autonomous flight and precise GPS navigation. Fully redundant systems significantly increase reliability. Target detection and recognition are performed by gimbaled, electro-optical, state-of-the-art payloads. The UAV is equipped with sophisticated communication systems transferring imagery in real time to ground control stations. The Hermes 450 maximum payload weight is 150Kg., its operational altitude is 18,000 feet and the maximum endurance is 20 hours.
Elbit Systems' Hermes 450 UAV's are currently in service with the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and have accumulated extensive operational experience as the main IDF tactical UAV system.
The Hermes family state-of-the-art UAVs, comprised of the tactical highly maneuverable Hermes 180, the Hermes 450 and the medium altitude long endurance Hermes 1500, are designed for real time optical and electronic battlefield intelligence, gathering data around the clock, with payloads ranging from 75 lbs. to 750 lbs. In addition to advanced performance, the systems feature extended mission duration, fully redundant avionics for enhanced reliability, and multiple flight modes from manual to fully automatic.
Based in Fort Worth, EFW Inc., is an established defense electronics supplier specializing in sophisticated hardware and software solutions for upgrade, integration and sustainment programs. EFW provides systems for various weapon platforms for U.S. and allied military forces.
Published by Globes [online] - www.globes.co.il - on 14 July 2003