Israel Aerospace Industries’ (IAI) Malat Division spearheads the design and manufacture of UAS. Malat offers a family of systems that varies in size, mission and sensors, mainly for defence-oriented customers.
Malat’s family of UAS varies in size, endurance mission profile and on-board sensors, covering the full spectrum of operational requirements by providing micro and mini systems, as well as tactical close and short range, VTOL and MALE systems.
Malat systems are in operational service with 50 users, are deployed on five continents and have accumulated over 1,100,000 flight hours.
All of this vast operational expertise is incorporated in the continuously modified, upgraded and enhanced systems MALAT offers to its potential customers worldwide.
Products include the HERON family (HERON, Super HERON, HERON TP); the BIRD EYE family (BIRD EYE 400 and 650); MOSQUITO; the PANTHER family (PANTHER and Mini PANTHER); GHOST; NRUAV (Navy Rotary Unmanned Air Vehicle); ETOP (Electric Tethered Observation Platform); SEARCHER MK III; and the HUNTER UAS.
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| The Super HERON is the new and latest MALE UAS made by IAI/Malat.
The Super HERON was added as a link between the HERON and the HERON TP UAV systems. The main features of the Super HERON are the following: A new advance propulsion system specifically developed for the Super Heron with a 200Hp heavy fuel (diesel) engine and fuel injection compared to the 100Hp gasoline engine of the HERON UAV. Fuselage and wings changes include: Provision for large and heavy payloads; provision for a large SATCOM antenna; and 5% lower drag for flight efficiency. A subsystems upgrade was also performed: Advanced avionics, triple redundancy and advanced computerised systems; advanced communication system including SATCOM for BLOS communication; multiple hard points for various payloads (fuel tanks, SIGINT, radar and more); as well as improved performance, increased maximum speed and rate of climb. The payload weight is up to 450kg. |
The new version retains the gross takeoff weight (5.4 ton) and strategic capabilities of the TP – operational ceiling of 45,000 ft, mission endurance of 30 hours, but halves the payload capability of the TP, limiting the maximum payload capacity to 450 kg. – the same as the payload of Heron I.
IAI is unveiling the new Heron TP-XP at the Aero India 2017 airshow in Bengaluru.
The introduction of this strategic platform is India comes after a long delay in export approval of Heron TP to India since New Delhi has not approved the MTCR regime.
The introduction of Heron TP-XP will enable IAI to expand its UAV offering to more customers. Following the MTCR approval by India last June, and the completion of the first flights of Rustom 2 – India’s indigenous MALE UAV – in November last year, the Indian market is more recipient to competitors, which the new version is positioned to meet.
Compared to other Heron family platforms, Heron TP-XP offers a more efficient multi-mission and multi-payload platform that is more suitable for strategic missions.
It is designed to operate at very long range, using an integral satellite link and is and is capable of operating in extreme weather conditions.
One of the main advantages of Heron TP-XP is its ability to cruise above the commercial traffic, at altitudes of up to 45,000 ft. This.
As the TP version, Heron TP-XP uses triple redundant avionics, automatic take-off and landing and meets NATO and other accepted world standards and complies with STANAG 4671. These capabilities make Heron TP / TP-XP uniquely capable to ‘coexist’ in crowded, commercial airspace.
The main difference between Heron TP and TP-XP is the TP’s large internal cargo bay carrying up to one tonne of payload, which is the reason its export is limited as it exceeds the limitations imposed by the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR). To clear volume for these large payloads, the TP’s satellite terminal is placed in a dome above the fuselage. Heron TP-XP has a more slender design, with satellite antennae integrated inside the 14-meter long fuselage and a smaller internal payload bay. However, the large fuselage and huge wings (26 m’ span) provide more than adequate space for the installation of multiple payloads that may comprise electro-optical, radar and electronic surveillance missions. Since maximum fuel can be carried with full payload Heron TP-XP can perform all missions with maximum payloads at the maximum endurance.
