Airbus to continue Heron 1 operations support
Airbus DS Airborne Solutions has received contract extensions from the German armed forces to continue supporting Heron 1 UAS operations in Afghanistan and Mali.
Under the service model contracts, Airbus DS Airborne Solutions will be responsible for managing all assets and manpower to support Heron 1 deployments until mid 2020. The company will provide, maintain and repair the systems in Mazar-I-Sharif in Afghanistan and Gao in Mali to ensure the operational availability of the UAS.
The IAI Heron 1 is a medium altitude long-endurance UAS, which can be operated from unpaved runways under harsh environmental conditions. With a wingspan of 17m and a maximum mission duration of more than 24 hours, the UAS can be deployed for detection of IEDs from the air, convoy and patrol unit escort, route exploration and supervision, creation of movement profiles and long-term supervision, support for status reports as well as object and camp protection rank.
The air force has been using the Heron 1 system in Afghanistan since 2010 and in Mali since 2016.
Related Equipment in Defence Insight
More from Uncrewed Vehicles
-
![Jammer resistant drone designs spark search for countermeasures]()
Jammer resistant drone designs spark search for countermeasures
The Russia-Ukraine conflict has driven another stage of evolution for drones and the counter measures to defend against them.
-
![L3Harris launches Amorphous software for control of uncrewed platforms]()
L3Harris launches Amorphous software for control of uncrewed platforms
The new Amorphous software is a universal controller that would allow a single operator to control a swarm of “thousands” of uncrewed systems, from drones to underwater platforms.
-
![ideaForge unveils new UAVs at Aero India 2025]()
ideaForge unveils new UAVs at Aero India 2025
India UAV supplier ideaForge has launched the Netra 5 and Switch V2 drones at Aero India 2025, boasting of enhanced endurance, AI-driven autonomy and improved operational capabilities.
-
![Shaping the future of defence: What 2025 holds for the global drone market]()
Shaping the future of defence: What 2025 holds for the global drone market
The UAV market is experiencing unprecedented growth, with innovations in technology and battlefield applications driving demand across military sectors. From the battlefields of Ukraine to NATO exercises and beyond, drones are transforming how wars are fought and supported.
-
![Maris-Tech confirms customers signing up for Jupiter Drones codec and AI-powered system]()
Maris-Tech confirms customers signing up for Jupiter Drones codec and AI-powered system
Launched at AUSA in October, the company’s multi-stream video codec is attempting to bring a new lease of life to drone technology through its AI accelerator.
-
![AUSA 2024: Quantum-Systems targets big 2025 with UAS developments]()
AUSA 2024: Quantum-Systems targets big 2025 with UAS developments
Quantum-Systems has been upgrading its UAS family, with new versions of the Vector, Reliant and Twister drones set for release throughout 2025.
