Jordan has finalised a deal with Israel for the procurement of strategic and tactical unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to help combat the Islamic State, according to a regional media source.
The deal encompasses Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) Heron TP strategic and Elbit Systems Skylark tactical UAVs. While separate system numbers are not given, the report by the Israeli DEBKAfile website says that a total of 12 UAVs of both types are to be delivered.
The deal encompasses Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) Heron TP strategic and Elbit Systems Skylark tactical UAVs. While separate system numbers are not given, the report by the Israeli DEBKAfile website says that a total of 12 UAVs of both types are to be delivered.
According to the report, the systems are needed to support Jordanian special forces that are currently engaged in ground operations in Iraq, although there has been no independent corroboration of this claim. IAI had not responded to a request for comment at the time of writing, but Elbit Systems denied the report.
Having first entered service with the Israeli Air Force in 2010, the Heron TP is the service's largest and most sophisticated UAV with a wingspan of 26 m and an all-up weight of 4,650 kg. With a stated operating altitude of 45,000ft (although it is believed it can fly higher), the Heron TP is reported to have a 40-hour endurance. Although the Heron TP's range figures have not been disclosed, the platform's satellite communications (SATCOM) enable over-the-horizon operations.
In terms of its payload, the Heron TP has recently been cleared to carry the IAI (Tamam) M-19HD electro-optical sensor turret, which includes zoom and spotter high-definition (HD) day cameras; an HD infrared (IR) zoom camera; laser designator; laser rangefinder; laser pointer; near-IR laser illuminator; electron-multiplied charge-coupled device (CCD) camera; and short-wave IR camera.
At the other end of the performance spectrum, the Skylark is a man-portable hand-launched UAV that has a 5m wingspan; a 43 kg maximum launch weight; and a 10 kg maximum payload. Currently in its Skylark II configuration, the UAV typically flies between 500 and 5,000 ft (but has a ceiling of 16,000 ft); a maximum speed of 70 kt; an estimated range of 32 n miles (59 km; 36 miles); and an endurance of 6 hours.
The announcement that Jordan is to receive UAVs from Israel is the latest signal of increased defence co-operation between the two erstwhile enemies in the face of the common foe of the Islamic State. In July, it was revealed that Israel has supplied Jordan with 16 Bell AH-1E/F Cobras that it had previously retired from service, while images posted online on 13 August showed Royal Jordanian Air Force Lockheed Martin F-16 Fighting Falcons and Israeli Air Force Boeing F-15I Eagle (Ra'am) fighters parked alongside each other at Lajes Field in the Azores as they transited to the United States together for joint exercises.
SOURCE:IHS Jane's
Having first entered service with the Israeli Air Force in 2010, the Heron TP is the service's largest and most sophisticated UAV with a wingspan of 26 m and an all-up weight of 4,650 kg. With a stated operating altitude of 45,000ft (although it is believed it can fly higher), the Heron TP is reported to have a 40-hour endurance. Although the Heron TP's range figures have not been disclosed, the platform's satellite communications (SATCOM) enable over-the-horizon operations.
In terms of its payload, the Heron TP has recently been cleared to carry the IAI (Tamam) M-19HD electro-optical sensor turret, which includes zoom and spotter high-definition (HD) day cameras; an HD infrared (IR) zoom camera; laser designator; laser rangefinder; laser pointer; near-IR laser illuminator; electron-multiplied charge-coupled device (CCD) camera; and short-wave IR camera.
At the other end of the performance spectrum, the Skylark is a man-portable hand-launched UAV that has a 5m wingspan; a 43 kg maximum launch weight; and a 10 kg maximum payload. Currently in its Skylark II configuration, the UAV typically flies between 500 and 5,000 ft (but has a ceiling of 16,000 ft); a maximum speed of 70 kt; an estimated range of 32 n miles (59 km; 36 miles); and an endurance of 6 hours.
The announcement that Jordan is to receive UAVs from Israel is the latest signal of increased defence co-operation between the two erstwhile enemies in the face of the common foe of the Islamic State. In July, it was revealed that Israel has supplied Jordan with 16 Bell AH-1E/F Cobras that it had previously retired from service, while images posted online on 13 August showed Royal Jordanian Air Force Lockheed Martin F-16 Fighting Falcons and Israeli Air Force Boeing F-15I Eagle (Ra'am) fighters parked alongside each other at Lajes Field in the Azores as they transited to the United States together for joint exercises.
SOURCE:IHS Jane's