The German Air Force plans to acquire three more Heron TP medium altitude long endurance drones from Israel.
A proposal of 25 million euros ($29 million) for the procurement is being prepared for parliamentary approval, according to Hartpunkt.
This procurement will expand the German Air Force’s Heron fleet to eight, including five operational leased aircraft.
The leased drones will reportedly be purchased in the long-term — an option available in the original contract between the two countries.
Six of the aircraft are expected to be stationed at Jagel Air Base in Schleswig-Holstein and two at Israel’s Tel Nof base where a joint German-Israeli squadron serves as a training center for German drone operators.
If the contract is signed shortly after the parliament’s summer break, delivery is expected within two years.
Surveillance Drone
The unmanned aerial system has an endurance of over 30 hours and a service ceiling of 45,000 feet (13,716 meters), making it hard to detect for adversaries.
Germany announced recently it was deploying one of the Israel Aerospace Industries systems for the Baltic Sentry mission to protect NATO countries’ critical underwater infrastructure.
Equipped with high-resolution cameras and advanced sensors and radars, the Heron is ideal for monitoring sea lanes.
New Capabilities
The new drones will feature an “electro-magnetic surveillance” system to detect radar and communications, according to Hartpunkt.
This new feature is expected to enhance the platform’s capabilities.
Bremen-based Airbus DS Airborne Solutions is expected to provide technical and logistical support for the new drones, as it has been for the leased models.
