MALE UAV · Israel · In Service

IAI Heron Mk I / Mk II

Israel's flagship MALE UAV; in service with Indian Army, Navy, IAF and BSF. Operated from Charbatia, Porbandar, Leh, Thoise.

Specifications
1,270 kg MTOW250 kg payload45 hr endurance1,000 km range10,000 m ceiling207 km/hRotax 914 turbocharged piston engine (115 hp)
Maker: Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI)
Primary operator: Indian Army — Aviation Corps
In service: 75
Indigenous content: 10%
Mission roles: ISR, BDA, border patrol, maritime patrol, SIGINT
Sensors: EO/IR gimbal (Controp STAMP / Elbit Compass), SAR radar (EL/M-2055), SIGINT
Payloads: Up to 250 kg — EO/IR, SAR, ELINT, COMINT, relays
Procurement history · 3 contracts · ₹2,500 cr
  • Indian Air Force — 31 Squadron / UAV wing · 10 units · 2007₹1,100 cr
  • Indian Army — Aviation Corps · 8 units · 2005₹900 cr
  • Indian Navy · 4 units · 2010₹500 cr
Components & supply chain
  • Rotax 914Engine
    BRP-Rotax (Austria) — via IAI
  • Controp STAMPEO/IR Sensor
    Controp Precision Technologies (Israel)
  • EL/M-2055 SARRadar
    ELTA (Israel, IAI subsidiary)
  • Ku-band SATCOM antennaData Link
    IAI/Elta
  • Controp STAMP-DEO/IR Sensor
    Controp Precision Technologies
  • EL/M-2055D SARRadar
    Elta Systems (IAI subsidiary)
  • EL/K-7071 COMINTSoftware
    Elta Systems
  • EL/K-7035 ELINTSoftware
    Elta Systems
  • C-band datalinkData Link
    IAI
Go deeper
Read: India’s Unmanned Warfare Transformation
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