VIDEO Combat drones, Romanian-Israeli co-production. Features, price and performance

The Romanian Air Force could be equipped with combat drones made in Romania by the Israelis from Elbit together with specialists from Avioane Craiova and Romaero. In the first phase, the Army could acquire seven UAS class II tactical-operational drone systems, plus an initial logistical support package, all at a price of about 280 million euros.

Avioane Craiova and Romaero signed a memorandum of cooperation with the Israeli company Elbit Systems in May in view of the acquisitions made by the Ministry of National Defense, and the Israeli company committed to carry out a technology transfer in favor of Romanian companies. The document also stipulates that Romanian companies will be responsible for assembly, integration, training, maintenance and repairs, as well as managing the program.

Specifically, the drone could be manufactured in Craiova, where the Israeli company wants to establish a production line. Later, the maintenance of these drones could be carried out in the facilities that Romaero has in the Capital. According to some sources, following the completion of deliveries to the Ministry of National Defense, Elbit Systems intends to continue manufacturing drones in Romania and for foreign customers. Elbit already produces drone components in Romania, at its factories in Bacău. The decision to open the third assembly line outside of Israel comes naturally in the context in which the Ministry of National Defense announced its interest in acquiring UAS, company officials said, adding that early next year they could be signed. documents between Romania. and Israel and that the Hermes 450 drone is better suited to the needs of the Romanian army.

In fact, Elbit Systems has in its portfolio two tactical drones Hermes 450 and Hermes 900, but also other types of unmanned aerial vehicles for use in civil or military life. These are difficult to detect by radar and have been tested in various theaters of operations, including Iraq and Afghanistan.

70,000 flight hours in Afghanistan

The Hermes 450 drone is operated by the armed forces of 14 countries, including the United Kingdom and the United States. The British largely used 52 such drones in Afghanistan, and 8 of them were lost in battle. In total, the Hermes 450 achieved 70,000 flight hours supporting British troops in Afghanistan, the equivalent of 8 years of non-stop flight.

The Hermes 450 is powered by a modern Wankel rotary engine, and the extended range can reach 30 hours in a single flight. The maximum speed is 176 kilometers per hour and a flight ceiling of 5,500 meters.

Like the Hermes 900 variant, the 450 drone is operated by two soldiers in a command center on the ground.

Smash missiles with high-precision shots

The second model, the next-generation Hermes 900 drone, is called “Kochav” by the Israelis and can be used for air support, surveillance, targeting, reconnaissance and maritime patrol missions.

For strike missions, the Hermes 900 uses Spike smart missile systems produced by Rafael Advanced Defense, which allow high-precision strikes against armor or troops. The first operational mission of the Hermes 900 took place on July 15, 2014, in Operation “Protective Edge” in the Gaza Strip. The mission ultimately led to an airstrike that, according to some sources, destroyed a terrorist infrastructure.

The Hermes 900 is equipped with Israeli, Swiss, Portuguese, Icelandic and Mexican troops. The price of a Hermes 900 unmanned aircraft is not disclosed, but Switzerland bought six of these systems in 2015 (with control centers, training, spare parts) at a price of more than 250 million dollars. The performance of the device should not be neglected. It can fly a mission of up to 36 hours and the flight limit is 10,000 meters.

Drones, in the Romanian Air Force

The first drones arrived in the Romanian Air Force in 1987. They were Soviet-made VR-3s. These are 12 jet drones that usually carry out research missions. In the early 2000s, the squad was deemed technically outdated and was disbanded. The planes were first put into storage and then discarded. The drones re-entered the Air Force after the Ministry of National Defense acquired the American Shadow 600 aircraft. The squadron operated until 2003 as part of the Romanian Air Force, after which it was subordinated to the Directorate of Military Intelligence. According to some sources, the squad was originally comprised of 11 Shadow 600 aircraft, but three were shot down in Iraq and one crashed in the country during a training mission.