More Orbiter 3 UAS ordered for NATO country

Israel’s Aeronuatics has received a repeat order from a European NATO country for its Orbiter 3 UAS, a contract the company described as “significant [and] another important milestone with a long-standing customer”.

While the customer was not disclosed, Orbiter 3 is operated by Croatia and Greece, while Finland operates an upgraded Orbiter 2.

The order is unlikely to be for Greece as that country placed a contract for a reported “dozens of systems” in April 2023 and it is believed these deliveries are ongoing.

Croatia awarded a contract worth approximately US$5.7 million to Aeronautics in early 2018 to deliver one Orbiter 3 system, which contains six Orbiter 3 air vehicles, to meet a government requirement for a short-range UAS that could be employed for both civil and military purposes. It is possible that Croatia may have ordered more to boost capability or replace systems.

In May 2012 Finland selected the Orbiter 2 for a 20-year programme to equip, train and support tactical ground forces. As part of the contract, worth $31 million, Aeronautics provided up to 45 Orbiter systems, including up to 180 units.

In April 2023, following the country’s introduction into NATO, Aeronautics signed a mid-life upgrade with Finland for the in-service Orbiter 2s but it is possible that with Finland’s recent inclusion in NATO and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine that there is a need for increased capability. It is believed Finland is not the customer.

In addition, there remains a number of orders for undisclosed customers such as an order worth $8 million for Orbiter UAS in July 2019.

Orbiter 3 is catapult launched and is described by Shephard Defence Insight as battery-powered with pusher propeller with a launch set-up time of seven minutes and autonomous takeoff.

Related Programmes in Defence Insight

Orbiter 3 [Greece]

Related Equipment in Defence Insight

Orbiter 3