The UAE has ordered 100 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) for its armed forces from arms company EDGE.
The deal was announced at the recently-concluded Dubai Airshow, where it was also revealed that ADASI will oversee the production and delivery of the EDGE REACH-S UAV.
EDGE’s drones will provide the UAE with a 24-hour intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance capability to optimize border security and other long-range operations.
The deal is the first major order for drones between the UAE and the company. Advanced Concepts, a business unit within EDGE, is currently developing the fixed-wing drones.
Taking Flight
The REACH-S has a take-off weight of 600 kilograms (1,300 pounds) and can carry a payload of up to 120 kilograms (265 pounds). It can attain an altitude of 19,000 feet (5,791 meters), and reach a cruising speed of 80 knots.
Additionally, the drone has a 12-meter (39 feet) wingspan and a length of 5.5 meters (18 feet).
It also features autonomous take-off and landing, as well as a mount on the underbelly for an electro-optical sensor detection system.
The UAV is suitable for reconnaissance missions with its 200-kilometer (124 miles) communication range, reusable functionality, and 24-hour flight endurance.
Advanced Concepts Senior Vice President Saeed Al Mansoori stressed that the drones’ success comes from the development team’s continued push for innovation in the field of unmanned vehicles.
“Thanks to the dedicated team at ADVANCED CONCEPTS, we have successfully completed two flight tests and a weapon release campaign for the REACH-S, and we are currently gearing up for a long-endurance flight test,” he said.
