Switzerland has received from Israel the first two of six Elbit Systems Hermes 900 Heavy Fuel Engine (HFE) unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) that were ordered under the Reconnaissance Drone System 15 (ADS 15) requirement.
The Swiss Federal Department of Defence, Civil Protection, and Sport (VBS) announced the milestone on 29 April, noting that the two UAVs and two ground control stations (GCSs) arrived in Emmen in two deliveries on 21 and 26 April, respectively.
“The [UAVs and GCSs] were transported from Israel to Switzerland by sea and land. Another component of the deliveries was various material for the maintenance and the subassemblies, which are necessary for the operation of the ADS 15,“ the VBS said.
The first UAV has already been assembled and they will undergo a functional check before the first flight tests in mid-May. They will then be handed over to the air force in the second half of the year. Four more UAVs will be delivered by the end of 2023.
Total cost of the six drones is around CHF 250 million (around $256 million at the time) and they are expected to be operational for 20 years.
Eye in the sky
In March, the first pilots of the Swiss Air Force and armasuisse successfully completed the basic training for the new drone system in Israel.
The Hermes 900 HFE (also known as ADS 15) is an unmanned and unarmed reconnaissance system. The drone are nine metres long with a wingspan of 17 metres. The drone system can be used both during the day and at night and can detect aircraft, other drones and missiles. The six drones will be used, among other things, to monitor borders, search for missing persons in the mountains or assess a situation after a natural disaster.
Switzerland currently has no more reconnaissance drones. The Ranger ADS 95 was decommissioned in November 2019 after 20 years of use. The border guards currently use helicopters.
Controversies
Even before arriving in Switzerland, the drones manufactured by the Israeli firm Elbit Systems, generated controversy. In 2015, when the purchase was approved by parliament, there were criticisms about the purchase of Israeli military technology.
In January, a senate committee issued a report stating that the purchase represents a “considerable risk” for Switzerland. The project has been delayed for almost three years, mainly due to the crash of a drone during a test flight in 2020. The company has since been able to rectify the technical problem, without changing the design of the drones.
Top Photo: Keystone / Georgios Kefalas
Source: SWI