Elbit Systems Ltd, based in Haifa, Israel, has been granted a contract valued at $95 million to provide SkyStriker loitering munitions to an undisclosed European country.
The agreement, set to span two years, entails the supply of several hundred SkyStriker units.
The SkyStriker, described as a “fully autonomous loitering munition“, possesses the capability to identify, pursue, and engage targets specified by an operator, carrying a warhead weighing up to 10Kg.
Furthermore, the munition can be launched using various platforms, both ground and aerial, including the exclusive canister of Elbit Systems’ PULS (Precise and Universal Launching System) rocket artillery systems.
With its electric engine, the SkyStriker can covertly operate for up to 2 hours, covering a range of 100km. Notably, this system retains its precision striking ability and keeps a “man in the loop” even when faced with challenges such as GPS disruptions or communication blocks.
In a statement, Yoram Shmuely, General Manager of Elbit Systems Aerospace, expressed:
“We are pleased to deliver an innovative and effective solution to our customers that combines Elbit Systems air and ground solutions. As a covert and agile platform, the SkyStriker loitering munition delivers high performance precision and reliability, providing a mission-critical advantage to warfighters on the modern battlefield.”
Got to be Germany I think. They’ve been buying a reasonable amount of munitions and hardware from Israel recently.
And for some time it appears!
25 NOVEMBER 2021
Berlin Security Conference 2021: ESG to adapt Israeli combat cloud for Germany
“Speaking at the Berlin Security Conference, ESG’s director of business development and sales, Simon Volkmann, said that the company is to utilise the Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) Operational Avionics Layer (OPAL) to develop its Network Enabled Operations Support (NEOS) for the air assets of the German armed forces primarily, but for the other domains also.”
LINK
Think its a EuroPULS user. Netherlands more likely with Denmark also adopting it.
You may be on to something. In this Monday’s issue of the Netherlands Armed Forces’ Materiel and IT Command (COMMIT) on line magazine this is mentioned in short. I will provide a (surprisingly accurate) translation by Google:
SkyStriker to Europe
Elbit Systems has entered into a contract with ‘a European country’ for the supply of the SkyStriker.
The value is $95 million, about €90 million. The SkyStriker is a fully autonomous drone, [with] which the operator can locate and attack targets with great precision.
The device is available in a so-called canister, which means that this advanced loitering munition can also be launched by the PULS (Precise & Universal Launching System) rocket artillery system. The Netherlands recently purchased […] PULS.
It is certainly not the only thing the company from Haifa (Israel) is responsible for in the Netherlands. For example, it supplied the self-protection suite for the new Gulfstream G650ER of the Royal Netherlands Air Force. Elsewhere in this edition an extensive article about this new device.
Source: Elbit Systems
The question is (at least to me), if the buyer isn’t The Netherlands, why would COMMIT mention this?
Remember the Jackel killer drone armed with Brimstone that the RAF is testing? Taiwan has just ordered 160 of them as reported in Turkey 9 days ago:
Taiwan buys 160 UAVs from Turkish company
Taiwan has signed a deal to purchase 160 “Jackal” UAVs from a Turkish company, Fly Bvlos Technology, at the Taipei Aerospace & Defense Technology Exhibition (TADTE).The deal was signed last week.
The British Armed Forces are world leaders in testing UAV technologies.
But not, dare I say it, in adopting them.
Two of the most secure jobs in the U.K.
1. UAV tester for the RAF/Army/RN
2. Graphics Designer/PowerPoint Specialist at Aeralis.
😂👍
Hahah!
Irritates the hell out of me. Just buy something, please, and operate it!
Yup, Daniele, applies to lots of systems; Artillery, AFV’s, ATGW………………………………………on and on
😡
Sorry Daniele. Let’s see if I’ve got this right. We find a piece of kit we like and it works. We don’t send it on a three year round robin consultation but buy it. We then introduce it into service rather than changing it and it comes with all parts, not fitted for but without an engine (just an example). Nah, can’t see it mate!🤔
🙄
A classic case of “perfect being the enemy of good” they just need to stop looking for the perfect drone to operate and just get something that works.
Being supplied via Flybe I think I read. Also trialing Martlett again.
Geoff wrote:
I was most intrigued by the deal. Could Flybe be looking at Taiwanese production capabilities in which to build the Jackal as cheap as possible with an eye on the export market
Thanks for the info. As always a font of knowledge.🙂
I remember some here writing it off as ill conceived and an impractical waste of money.
edit: hang on some confusion here. The Jackal was the one shown firing Martlet a while back not Brimstone, the one I thought you were referring to was the Hydra the jet one with Brimstone. And then there was the Bae/Malloy T650 one late last year which fires Brimstone but gone very quiet since. The Jackal seemed rather well received actually, my error.
We should be world leaders in design. manufacture, and use of drones. We seem to be only good at testing drones. Yet another disgrace by UKPLC. I want to buy British ( I use drones profesionally) and end up have to make one offs. Its much easier than you think on the small scale, my clever bit is attaching the equipment and I use a retired engineer who has a workshop – yes metal bashing. To scale up and make military grade is not difficult as all the cleaver stuff for navigation/control is off the shelf and I am sure the miltary stuff is already available. Tou would be amazed at what some call Hobby aircraft ( and thats a stupid name as they are engineering masterpieces and work they are fully aero dynamic with long endurance)
A lot of off-base comments here as if we are talking about buying equipment that takes decades to design, prototype, and manufacture. These types of loitering drones can be rendered obsolete in 3 months. Likewise, prototyping and production can happen fast. Taking it further, one could argue, being really good at prototyping new drone concepts with the ability to produce them at scale rapidly, could be much more important than any single large order for loitering munitions.
Hi Ron, appreciating the astute comments but I think the general gist of mine and others posts is that we (the UK forces and MOD) can spend huge amounts of effort, create teams to test, assess and evaluate but it’s not often that “we” ante up the hard cash and actually buy and operate many of these systems.
Keep up the quality posts
cheers
Ian
If it’s feasible then that is indeed logical, depends how complex they are I guess and how you would finance a business to pursue that without any major actual orders until a conflict comes along. I guess a modular approach would work where the basic but flexible airframe could be designed and pre produced, while the sensors and potential payload to fit it could be constantly progressed and then produced in numbers as and when requested to whatever spec was deemed then current. As much would be off the shelf parts this seems feasible, it’s how they are combined and the concept updated as new bits and ideas develop that’s the important bit to keep developing conceptually rather than a whole drone.
What frustrates me is, as others have said we should be at the forefront of drone development this is core to what we are still good at be it two of the Worlds top military concerns in structures and propulsion with cutting edge abilities, sensor and missile expertise and then World leading expertise in related technology like F1 who already contribute massively to non core tech from bikes, motor bikes, cars and lightweight structures and electrical/electronic technology as displayed in Formula E. We have some of the best specialist product designers and engineers in the World and arguably have designed and produced the World’s most innovative and efficient electric motors that are even being used in space vehicles. Just damn typical that we ignore all that talent and seek products from abroad when we could exploit all that potential to produce world leading products and industry in the sector. If only we had a plan eh.
That is Indeed true, which is why you just buy what is resonantly good and cheap and off the shelf at the time in limited numbers so you can make it operational and use it operationally, then have a scheduled of replacement where you just buy a new modest capability……otherwise you never buy anything just keep testing and going for the latest capabilities that’s always going to be out of date so you go onto the next….the most important bit is actually getting these things operational so you organisation can learn to use them at scale in integrate them into every day activities….then you can just change them out whenever they become obsolete…but at least everyone knows how to use them well. everyone get hung up on the tec..but that’s not the important bit…it’s how you operate and uses your capabilities that is Important…and that your people know how to use the capabilities in the best way.