Shown for the first time at Eurosatory 2018 was the Yugoimport Strsljen (Hornet) X-01 rotary-wing unmanned air vehicle (UAV) which has recently begun flight trials.
The 8.75 metre long air vehicle has an 7.6m diameter carbon-fibre two-blade main rotor with a tilt rotor head controlled by electric accuators, a carbon-fibre tail rotor, and a composite nose cone and tail boom.
The Hornet has been developed to undertake both reconnaissance and attack missions, and is equipped with outrigger pylons and an underbelly hardpoint for external stores in the attack mode. These include four EdePro Spider fibre-optic guided anti-tank missiles or four unguided S-8T 80mm rockets as well as a 12.7mm machine gun.
Powered by an EdePro developed Phoenix-180 turboshaft engine, the Hornet has a top speed of 180km/h, and a maximum endurance of four hours with a service ceiling of 4,000m.
In a surveillance role, the Hornet can carry a 450 kg payload that can include a chin-mounted EO/IR sensor gimball with other mission equipment including a radar altimeter, a Guardian X-band SAR radar, an IMAR GPS/GLONASS/INS combined navigation system coupled to an inertial measurement unit, or an optional directional-sequence spread spectrum (DSSS) communication system and an optionally-mounted radar jammer.
A mockup of the X-01 was shown at IDEX 2017 in Abu Dhabi which differed considerably from the Hornet shown at Eurosatory.
by David Oliver
