Rafael’s Subsidiary Aeronautics to Supply Orbiter 3 UAV Systems to Greece

By ARIE EGOZI

Defence Industry

Tel Aviv: Israeli company Rafael and its subsidiaries are working to offer foreign countries complete combat solutions based on the integration of some systems. This effort has resulted now in a contract won by Israeli company Aeronautics that has been acquired some years ago by Rafael.

According to the contract, Aeronautics will supply its Orbiter 3 UAV systems to the Greek Ministry of Defence. The agreement is part of the large contract between the Israeli and Greek Ministry of Defence, worth approximately Euro 370 million, for the procurement of Rafael’s Spike missiles.

As part of the contract, Rafael will provide an advanced solution enabling significant operational advantage to the modern battlefield; While the Orbiter 3 systems detect, recognize and identify (DRI) the target, the Spike missiles, launched from the air, sea, or land can rapidly close the sensor-to-shooter loop, using the “Fire Weaver” C4I system. The rapid Sensor to Shooter process implementing advanced technologies, enables mission success.

The Orbiter 3 is a small tactical unmanned aerial system and considered to be one of the leading systems in its class worldwide providing superior performance for both defence and HLS applications. Highlights of the Orbiter 3 operational performance includes advanced ISTAR capabilities, runway-independent, long endurance, the capability of carrying various types of payloads, advanced image processing, a small logistical footprint, navigation including in a GPS-denied environment and the ability to withstand harsh weather conditions.

Dan Slasky, CEO of Aeronautics Group said, “We are proud to be a part of this significant cooperation with Rafael in the G2G agreement with the Greek MOD. This collaboration demonstrates the technological synergy, and the close business integration between the two companies. We also thank the Israeli Ministry of Defence, which has invested significant efforts to facilitate the agreement, and to the Greek Ministry of Defence for expressing its confidence in the Aeronautics’ solution.”

Recently, Greece decided to purchase the Rafael Spike missiles in a deal valued at Euro 370 million.

The Spike anti-tank guided missiles manufactured by “Rafael” are innovative and precise electro-optical missiles that incorporate advanced technology. The Spike missiles can be launched from around 45 platforms from land, air, and sea. Some 40 countries around the world use the Spike missiles, including 19 EU countries and NATO allies. More than 34,000 missiles from the Spike family have already been delivered to various countries around the world and more than 6,000 of them have been launched, both during training as well as for operational use.