David Oliver – Elbit Systems announced at Paris Air Show that it has started operating a maritime unmanned aerial system (UAS) patrol service available to countries in the European Union (EU) under a contract between the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) and the Portuguese company CEiiA.
Iceland is the first EU country to use this particular long-range UAS patrol service with the Icelandic maritime authorities basing the Hermes 900 Maritime Patrol operation at the Egilsstaðir airport in the East of the island, from which maritime UAS patrol has the capability of covering more than half of the Icelandic Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).
Based on the Elbit Systems Hermes 900 Tactical Medium Altitude Long-Endurance (MALE), the Maritime Patrol platform is a persistent long-range unmanned maritime surveillance system tailored for littoral and blue water operations. Its 300kg (660lb) payload features maritime radar, an Electro Optic (EO) payload, Satellite Communication (SATCOM), an Automatic Identification System (AIS) receiver and an Emergency Position-indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB) receiver.
The Hermes 900 Maritime Patrol enables persistent monitoring of vast swathes of sea and long coastlines and effective identification of suspicious activities and potential hazards. The particular Hermes 900 Maritime Patrol in use is adapted to withstand the strong winds and icy conditions common to the North Atlantic Ocean.
by David Oliver
