Hermes UAVs Boost Air Force ISR Capabilities

19 Januari 2021

Hermes 900 MALE UAV (photos : PAF)

The delivery and activation of Hermes 450 and 900 Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) ordered from Elbit Systems of Israel have contributed to Philippine Air Force (PAF)’s Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities.

“The arrival and operationalization of the Unmanned Aerial System to include the Hermes 450s and 900s are part of the continuous development of ISRS capabilities for day and night operations,” said First Lieutenant Egon Bryan Carbolledo in the latest edition of PAF’s journal Perspective.

1LT Carbolledo is assigned at 300th Air Intelligence and Security Wing (Prov) which is the unit operating the Hermes 450s and 900s.

Carbolledo also noted that “one of the capabilities is to attain information dominance and to compliment the requirements of Integrated Air Defense System and in support to the establishment of Anti-Access/Area (Sea) Denial joint posture to defend the country from hostile forces within territorial baseline; to strengthen maritime security vis-à-vis Air to Air Defense threats and challenges; and to sustain air, ground and intelligence operations in support of security and stability and law enforcement operations.”

The said assets were acquired through Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Modernization Program UAS Level 3 Acquisition Project. Under this project, PAF received 1 system of Hermes 450 and 3 systems of Hermes 900. Each system has 3 UAVs.

(Mintfo)