Elbit Systems to deliver Hermes 900, Hermes 450 unmanned aerial system to Latin America

HAIFA, Israel, 6 Aug. 2012.Elbit Systems Ltd. (NASDAQ:ESLT) won a contract to deliver a mixed fleet of Hermes 900 and Hermes 450 unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) over the next two years to an unnamed customer in Latin America.

Elbit Systems will also provide universal ground control stations (UGCS) and various payloads, inclulding: the Electro-Optics Elop Division's advanced payloads systems, the Elisra Division's intelligence COMINT systems, SAR/MPR multi-mode radar, and additional sensors.

The Hermes 450 UAS have been used by defense forces worldwide, including in active war zones, and have accumulated more than 300,000 operational flight hours. The Hermes 900 UAS offers a higher flight altitude (30,000 feet) to longer endurance and heavier weight payloads than the Hermes 450. The system’s structure enables it to carry a variety of payloads in various shapes and sizes for quick "conversion" between payload configurations, says a spokesperson.

The customer has decided “to acquire a combined array of Hermes 450 and Hermes 900, joining several other Hermes 900 customers, including the Israeli Defense Forces, according to Elad Aharonson, Elbit Systems UAS Division general manager. "Hermes® 900 is well positioned as a world-leading UAS, suitable for a wide variety of missions, from intelligence gathering to perimeter and security missions. The unique capability of joint operation with the Hermes 450 offers seamless integration for existing users, further enhancing operational flexibility and cost effectiveness and eliminating the need for additional infrastructure or special training programs,” he says.