Germany Developed an Unmanned Aircraft for Radar Reconnaissance
At the Bundeswehr Day, the German company Avilus presented several new drones, including the Bussard unmanned aircraft, equipped with SAR radar for ground reconnaissance.
Hartpunkt reported on this.
At the Bundeswehr Day in Dietz at the end of June, German drone specialist Avilus presented the third generation of Grille drones and the first generation of two other UAVs, Wespe and Bussard.
Grille is a multi-rotor medical drone weighing 550 kg. Avilus states that it is working closely with the Bundeswehr’s 61st Military Technology Center during the development and testing phases. This has allowed the UAV to be tested and refined. The drone can reach speeds of up to 80 km/h and has a flight range of up to 50 km.
This makes it possible to quickly evacuate seriously wounded people behind enemy lines for intensive care or transport them between medical facilities. Additionally, drones can supply frontline medical units with the necessary materials.
Bussard is an aircraft-type drone with a long flight range. The maximum take-off weight of the aircraft is 800 kg, of which 143 kg is payload. According to the manufacturer, the flight range reaches 2,500 km.
Thanks to the built-in PrecISR SAR radar and Argos electro-optical system from Hensoldt, the drone is capable of remote surveillance of large areas, as well as detecting, classifying, and tracking targets.
The UAV is equipped with a dipole reflector ejection system and heat traps to protect against anti-aircraft missiles and air-to-air missiles. Additionally, it features an emergency parachute for a soft landing in the event of an emergency.
Wespe is a helicopter-type logistics drone. The unmanned aerial vehicle has a diameter of 7.2 meters and a rotor diameter of 6.5 meters. Its cruising speed is 120 km/h, and its flight ceiling is up to 5,500 meters. The maximum flight range is up to 300 km.
The engine can be either a piston or a turbine, with a maximum power of 180 kW (245 hp). Depending on the configuration, the aircraft can carry a payload of up to 200 kg in the piston version or up to 350 kg in the turbine version. The maximum take-off weight is 650 kg and 900 kg, respectively.
Previously, the armed forces of France, Germany, Great Britain, and other European countries have started testing the latest HX-2 strike drone.
According to Simon Brunius, Vice President of Sales at Helsing, the first HX-2 strike drones have also been delivered to Ukraine for qualification tests, which are expected to be completed within a few weeks.
