Singapore or India believed to be the latest buyer of the Hermes 900 MALE UAV from Israel

 

The Hermes 900 MALE UAV from Elbit Systems. Photo c/o Aviation International News.


Singapore or India are believed to be the latest buyer of the Hermes 900 medium altitude long endurance unmanned aerial system (MALE UAS) from Israel's Elbit Systems, after the company announced on 02 March 2021 that it received a contract from an undisclosed customer to supply and deliver the unmanned aircraft.

The contract also requires Elbit Systems to provide maintenance and support services for the Hermes 900.

The said contract, worth around US$300 million, was said to have been signed with an Asian country with close ties to Israel, and will become the 12th country to use the Hermes 900 UAS.

Israeli defense news page IsraelDefense did not name the country it believes as the unnamed customer. But its article's details points out to Singapore as customer.

It reported that the undisclosed country plans to replace its 3rd squadron of UAVs consisting of IAI Searcher, also from Israel, with the new and more capable Hermes 900.

The competition for the replacement was said to have been started almost a decade ago, with Elbit Systems and Israel Aircraft Industries (IAI) competing, with US company General Atomics dropped due to government decision.

IsraelDefense also believes that the contract might cover up to 12 Hermes 900 UAVs including their command and control systems, plus maintenance and support for a number of years.

Other sources believe that India could be the undisclosed country, considering Elbit Systems has a joint production ties with India's Adani Group, forming the Adani Elbit Unammed Aerial Vehicles Complex inaugurated in India in 2018. 

The facility was planned to be the first outside Israel that is capable of manufacturing the Hermes 900 UAV, as well as other UAVs in Elbit System's product line up including the smaller Hermes 450 UAV.

The Hermes 900 is Elbit Systems' premier surveillance UAV, with a payload capacity of 300 kilograms, a service ceiling of 9,100 meters (30,000 feet), a cruise speed of 112 kilometers per hour (60 knots), and an endurance of 36 hours at cruise speed.

It was also reported that the Hermes 900 can be configured to allow it for attack missions.

Before this contract, Elbit Systems' recent contract for Hermes 900 UAVs was with the Canadian government for a single Hermes 900 to be used for monitoring and detecting oil spill, environmental surveys, and monitoring Canada's Arctic region.

In Asia, the Philippines is the only major user, with the Elbit Systems in the process of competing an order of 9 units for the Philippine Air Force (PAF) by 2021.




[1] Elbit Systems
[2] Israel Defense
[3] Eurasian Times




Singapore or India believed to be the latest buyer of the Hermes 900 MALE UAV from Israel Singapore or India believed to be the latest buyer of the Hermes 900 MALE UAV from Israel Reviewed by Asia Pacific Defense Journal on March 09, 2021 Rating: 5

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