An unmanned aerial vehicle developed and produced in Israel and designed with Germany’s military requirements in mind took its maiden flight in German air space on Wednesday, with senior officials of the German Armed Forces present.
Airbus, one of the contractors for the German Heron TP drone, said the remotely powered aircraft system was developed and produced by Israel Aerospace Industries and the UAV Program Executive Office at the Israeli Ministry of Defense’s Directorate of Defense, Research and Development. The German drone features advanced capabilities drawn from the close collaboration among the contractors and with the German Armed Forces, Airbus said in a statement.
The Heron TP is an enhanced version of IAI’s Heron family RPAS, which also includes the Heron 1 that the German Air Force used during its deployments in Afghanistan and Mali.
Boaz Levy, IAI president and CEO, described the German Heron TP deployment as a “milestone achievement” for the company. “This collaboration sets the stage for continued innovation and collaboration in addressing the ever-evolving challenges in the defense sector,” Levy said.
Daniel Gold, head of the Israel defense ministry’s DDR&D, expressed pride in witnessing the maiden flight. “This joint endeavor between Israel and Germany exemplifies the strong partnership and collaboration between our nations, harnessing cutting-edge technology to provide a qualitative military advantage,” Gold said.