Latest updates[?]: Leonardo and General Atomics will jointly work on integrating Leonardo’s SAGE electronic warfare surveillance system onto the MQ-9B UAS. SAGE analyses the electromagnetic spectrum across the Land, Sea and Air domains in order to map the source of active emissions. Using highly accurate Direction Finding (DF) antennas, SAGE builds target locations and provides situational awareness, advance warning of threats and the ability to cue other sensors. The sensor with a 360° radar-warning-receiver capability allows to identify the location and parametric data of specific RF emitters from a single platform, thus enhancing the tactical electronic intelligence picture and situational awareness. SAGE is already in service with the South Korean Navy, Brazilian Navy and Indonesian Air Force. The two companies plan to integrate SAGE into the MQ-9B airframe without the need for external pods. First orders will be possible as soon as 2019.

Latest updates[?]: Northrop Grumman is being awarded a contract modification in support of the Navy’s fleet of MQ-4C Tritons. The cost-plus-fixed-fee modification is valued at $41.2 million. It increases the contracts ceiling and extends the period of performance on the delivery order to provide test, maintenance and logistics support services to sustain MQ-4C UAVs mission control and operator training services. The Triton is a high-end multi-mission unmanned air system. The drone conducts a number of ISR missions and boosts a number of SIGINT capabilities to capture enemy communication and radar transmissions. Work will be performed at various location inside and outside the continental US, including Patuxent River, Maryland and Yigo, Guam. It is expected to be completed in March 2019.

Latest updates[?]: The Indonesian Navy is establishing a new squadron primarily tasked with UAV maritime surveillance missions. The Skadron Udara 700 will be based in Juanda Surabaya and will operate the ScanEagle UAS. Indonesia is currently anticipating the delivery of four Insitu ScanEagle UAVs and associated equipment, from the US government. The UAVs are being provided under a grant by the US government under a capacity-building program for Southeast Asian navies known as the Maritime Security Initiative (MSI). The ScanEagle is solidly based on Insitu’s original “Insight” platform, with different variants distinguished by their payloads and accompanying equipment rather than their aerodynamic design. The UAVs are launched by catapult, and autonomously recovered using a folding “skyhook” and catch-line. The Indonesian MSI package seeks to specifically improve the country’s maritime patrol capabilities, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance integration, and equipment maintenance capacity

Latest updates[?]: * The Navy is currently testing its MQ-8C Fire Scout UAS. A press release confirms that the UAV finished its Initial Operational Test and Evaluation from the littoral combat ship USS Coronado. The MQ-8C “Endurance Upgrade Fire Scout” is based on Bell Helicopter’s 3-ton 407 model, which serves as the base for the Iraqi Air Force’s manned IA-407-armed scout helicopters. MQ-8C is effectively a full-sized light naval utility helicopter, with 8 hours endurance carrying a 1,250-pound payload, and a maximum underslung payload of more than 2,600 pounds. The crew of the Coronado and Air Test and Evaluation Squadron 1, or VX-1, conducted combat simulations to evaluate the Fire Scout on target identification, intelligence and surface warfare, the results of which will help the Navy decide how best to use the rotorcraft. The unit also evaluated best practices concerning pairing the Fire Scout and MH-60S Seahawk helicopters. The Fire Scout has a range of nearly 600 miles and can fly to up to 12,500 feet. The Fire Scout can be armed with Hellfire and Viper Strike missiles, alongside several other weapons systems.

Latest updates[?]: Rolls-Royce Corp. is being tapped for services in support of the AE 3007H engine. The firm-fixed price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract is valued at $420 million and provides for provides for maintenance, repair and overhaul of the engine. The AE 3007H (F137) engine is used to power Northrop Grumman’s RQ-4 Global Hawk UAS. In typical operations the Global Hawk has a cruise speed of 357 mph, a range of 8,700 mi, a service ceiling of 60,000 feet and may fly for up to 28 hours. The turbofan engine produces a net thrust of 7,050 lb. Work will be performed in Montreal, Canada; and at Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma, and is expected to be completed by June, 2024.

Latest updates[?]: The Royal Thai Army (RTA) is currently adding four Hermes 450 drones to its inventory. The long-endurance tactical unmanned aerial vehicles are produced by Israel’s Elbit System. The Hermes 450 is a common medium surveillance UAV, with a 10 m wingspan and a maximum take-off weight of 1,212 lb. The 450 offers about 17-20 hours endurance at up to 18,000 feet altitude, and about 396 lb. of payload capacity via up to 2 body mountings and optional wing pylons. The UAVs will be used for operations including target designation; intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR), and mapping. The system is also expected to be used to track insurgency movements and drugs smuggling. The procurement of the Hermes 450 drones was finalized in 2017 at a total cost of $30 million.

Latest updates[?]: Jane’s reports that the UK military has lost another Thales WK 450 Watchkeeper to an accident. Britain’s Watchkeeper Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Program was devised to give the Royal Artillery an advanced mid-range UAV for surveillance and is complementary to other ISTAR systems in the Royal inventory. The Watchkeeper platform is based on Elbit Systems’ Hermes 450 UAV platform. The UAV is designed to provide continuous 24/7 surveillance when needed, using unmanned air vehicles able to stay airborne for more than 16 hours each through night and poor weather. So far, the UK military has lost five Watchkeepers, three of which crashed in the last 12 months. The Watchkeeper UAV and 47 Regiment Royal Artillery that operates it were due to achieve full operating capability (FOC) earlier in 2018, but this milestone was postponed after the platform failed to obtain a key flight safety certificate in November 2017.

Latest updates[?]: Germany’s parliament has now approved a deal to lease Heron TP UAV’s from Israel. The approval puts an end to a long-running series of debates and protests. Last year a German court rejected a protest against the Heron-TP selection by rival bidder General Atomics Aeronautical Systems. Additionally, many politicians opposed the idea of acquiring a UAV that could potentially be armed. The Heron TP is reportedly capable of flying for over 35 hours at a time at altitudes around 45.000 feet. It has a maximum range of about 3,000 km and can carry a maximum payload weighing 2204 lbs. As a large MALE (Medium Altitude, Long Endurance) UAV, it’s built to carry multiple payloads at a time for a variety of missions. Choices include electro-optical and thermal surveillance equipment, SAR radars for ground surveillance, maritime patrol radars and sensors, signals and other intelligence collection antennas and equipment, laser designators, and even radio relays. The deal is valued at $1.17 billion and allows the German army to carry out long endurance intelligence-gathering missions.

Latest updates[?]: Italy’s Piaggio Aerospace has announced that it will deliver its first P.1HH Hammerhead unmanned aircraft system this summer. The first units will be delivered to the United Arab Emirates, the company’s launch customer. The P.1HH Hammerhead is based on Piaggio’s sleek, Ferrari-approved P180 Avanti II business turboprop. Rapid deployment inside larger aircraft is engineered by adding a quickly detachable joint for the outer wings, and the high aspect ratio laminar wings have been stretched to a 50’10” wingspan. The Hammerhead was initially designed as a surveillance only UAV, but there is more than sufficient space for weapons if customers choose this option. The only key limitation to equipping the drone is its 500 kg payload maximum. Piaggio is already looking in to the development of its next UAS, designated P.2HH. The P.2HH will bring about increased capability by way of key design changes, namely a larger fuselage structure for increased internal volume and all-new, wider-spanning composite wings for increased endurance. Deliveries of the new system are scheduled for early-2020.

Latest updates[?]: The German Navy will receive several RQ-20B Puma II UAV. Produced by AeroVironment the hand-launched tactical unmanned aircraft system provides the German Navy with a persistent intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition, and reconnaissance capability. Its force protection and over-the-horizon reconnaissance capability comes without the need to modify the host ship from which it is operated. To fulfill all the requirements set by the Bundesamt fur Ausrustung, Informationstechnik und Nutzung der Bundeswehr, AeroVironment partnered with the German company ESG Elektroniksystem- und Logistik GmbH. AeroVironment developed the Puma system to win a 2008 United States Special Operations Command competitive program of record. The mini-UAV market focuses on flying devices that can be carried, launched, and recovered by soldiers. The RQ-20B Puma II AE differs from the baseline RQ-20A-model. It is equipped with longer-life battery power sources (increasing endurance to 3.5 hours and range to 20 km), a transit bay that can accommodate additional payloads.