Tel Aviv: Elbit Systems has unveiled the Skylark 3 Hybrid Small Tactical Unmanned Aerial Systems (STUAS). The Skylark3 Hybrid is equipped with a hybrid propulsion system, both an electric and an internal combustion engine, tripling endurance and offering up to 18 hours of operations, with no change to size or weight, significantly increasing mission effectiveness and cost efficiency.
The Skylark3 Hybrid uses its combustion engine to fly rapidly to the Area Of Interest (AOI) and switches to the electrical engine while operating above the AOI. The twin engine architecture of the new Skylark enables one to back up the other, providing greater reliability and safety. The significantly higher endurance of the Skylark 3 Hybrid provides forces with greater capacity to hover above AOI and requires fewer platforms to execute the same mission.
Skylark 3 Hybrid is based on the Skylark family of STUAS that have been ordered by 27 countries, to date. Skylark 3 Hybrid has a 4.7 m wingspan, a maximum take-off weight of 50 kg, service ceiling of 12,000 ft. and a range of 120 km. It features dual payload capacity with a “plug and play” interface for a quick replacement of sensors in the field.
The Skylark 3 Hybrid is capable of integrating a range of payloads including high-resolution Electro-Optical gimballed payload, ELINT, COMINT, laser designators and others. It is deployed and operated by a crew of two, launched via a pneumatic launcher and can be mounted on a vehicle or vessel. Two Skylark 3 Hybrid STUAS can be assigned to the same mission simultaneously managed by a shared Ground Control Station.
The new version is another addition to the growing UAV’s used by the Israeli defence forces (IDF). The ground forces command of the IDF have in recent years expressed their wish to have an unmanned air unit that will operate separately from the air force.
In recent discussions in the top command echelons of the IDF, the need for such an “army air force” has been put on the table as an operational need. Such a unit has not been built yet, officially, but in the field UAV’s are being integrated in a growing pace into the ground operations. The only UAV operated regularly by the IDF’s ground units is the Elbit systems “Skylark” used mainly by the artillery units. But the ground forces command has reacted to numerous requests from field commanders, to have an independent unit of UAV’s that will be under their command.
The “Air Force” of the Israeli defence forces (IDF) ground forces is being built in a growing pace. In the meantime the Sky Rider UAS unit of the Israeli artillery corps, is now performing services for many other branches of the IDF and that has resulted in the acquisition of additional systems and payloads. “We are getting more systems and new advanced payloads” the deputy commander of the unit recently said.
Military sources say that the requirements of the ground forces, are for different UAV’ from small tactical ones, to multi rotors that will be operated directly by the field commanders.
The Israeli air force (IAF) has for years objected such a move but sources say that “the process has begun” and that the demand will result in independent unmanned platforms that will be operated by the ground forces.
-The writer is an Israel-based freelance journalist. The views expressed are of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the views of Raksha Anirveda
