Switzerland Completes Israeli UAV Evaluations

Switzerland has completed in-country flight evaluations of two Israeli unmanned air systems, with a decision on its medium-altitude, long-endurance surveillance requirement expected to be made during 2014.

Israel Aerospace Industries' Heron 1 was tested by the Armasuisse procurement agency in September, with the activity having been followed by flights with Elbit Systems' Hermes 900 (below) this month. Both air vehicles were demonstrated in a variety of flight envelopes.

The competition in Switzerland is the latest in a long list in which the rival manufacturers have gone head-to-head.

In May, Elbit won a contract to supply a mixed fleet of Hermes 900 and smaller Hermes 450 UAS to Colombia.

Sources in the Israeli defence establishment say the deal was placed under a government-to-government arrangement after a previous purchase was cancelled amid a "power struggle" between Elbit and IAI.