Elbit Systems Ltd. announced that it was awarded a contract valued at $120 million to supply Hermes 900 Maritime Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) and training capabilities to the Royal Thai Navy. The contract will be performed over a three-year period. Under the contract, Elbit Systems will provide the Royal Thai Navy with Hermes 900 Maritime UAS featuring maritime radar, Electro Optic payload, Satellite Communication, droppable inflated life rafts and other capabilities. The Hermes 900 Maritime UAS is intended to enable the Royal Thai Navy to perform both blue water and littoral missions, dominate vast swathes of sea and long coastlines, communicate with operational vessels and carry out civilian mission such as maritime Search and Rescue and identification of suspicious activities and potential hazards.
Yoram Shmuely, General Manager of Elbit Systems Aerospace, commented: “This is yet another vote of confidence in the Hermes family of UAS. We are experiencing a growing demand around the globe for our unmanned solutions that are capable of effective integration with operational activities of manned forces across domains of operation, addressing a wide range of evolving threats.”
The Elbit Systems Hermes 900 Kochav (“Star”) is an Israeli medium-size, multi-payload, medium-altitude long-endurance unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) designed for tactical missions. It is a successor to the Hermes 450 series of drones, one of the most widely used military drones in the world. UAS of the Hermes family have been selected to date by more than 20 customers including Israel, the UK, Switzerland, Canada, the United Nations, the European Union, Brazil, Chile, Mexico and others; attesting to their competitive edge combining technological sophistication, reliability, open architecture and a solid growth path.
It has an endurance of over 30 hours and can fly at a maximum altitude of 30,000 feet (9,100 m), with a primary mission of reconnaissance, surveillance and communications relay. The Hermes 900 has a wingspan of 15 m (49 ft) and weighs 970 kg (2,140 lb), with a payload capability of 300 kg (660 lb). Payload options include electro-optical/infrared sensors, synthetic-aperture radar/ground-moving target indication, communications and electronic intelligence, electronic warfare, and hyperspectral sensors. It is based on the proven and mature building blocks of Elbit System’s Hermes family setting the highest levels of airworthiness, safety & reliability. Latest MALE UAS procured by the IDF & by multiple international users.
