IAI Offers Heron TP (Eitan) UAV to Vietnam

30 Juni 2018

IAI Heron TP/Eitan UAV (photos : defence.pk)

Israel's IAI Group offered UAV Eitan package to Vietnam in a bid worth $ 160 million.

The high cost of the UAV, with a total cost of $ 160 million, is an average of $ 53 million for each of these unmanned aerial vehicles, which is equivalent to the Su-30MK2.

Try to find out if the cost of owning a vehicle like this is reasonable.

The Eitan (Heron TP) unmanned aerial vehicle is a 14 m long, 26 m wingspan with a maximum takeoff weight of 5,400 kg and a carrying capacity of 2,700 kg. That's a 1,000 kg load, which is very significant and not inferior to the US MQ-9 Reaper.

More importantly, the tactical features of the Eitan UAV are superior, even superior to the Heron 1, which is the 14,400 m ceiling that spans 7,400 km in length with continuous flight times. Over 30 hours.

This is a high-altitude surveillance vehicle capable of reconnaissance, surveillance, damage assessment, target detection, aerial refueling, intelligence gathering, remote missile warning, even direct combat.

The Eitan UAV's reconnaissance system is very powerful and comprehensive, including MPR, SAR, ELINT/COMINT, and other equipment. Optoelectronics allows monitoring of the situation in all weather conditions. Images and information are transmitted in real time to the control center.

This unmanned aerial vehicle can carry up to four Nimrod air-to-surface missiles during each combat mission, providing powerful ground attack no less than professional ground attack.

There is another issue that can not be ignored: Israel is a very pleasant partner, and they are willing to provide either partial or total manufacturing technology to their customers.

This is very necessary for Vietnam as we are gradually building the unmanned aerial vehicle production sector that the prototype Viettel is producing is a good example.

(BaoDatViet)