airforce

Australia has extended the deployment of the Heron Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) in Afghanistan, until July 2014.

Since January 2010, the Heron RPA has provided high resolution intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) support to missions in Uruzgan province and southern Afghanistan.

Go deeper with GlobalData

Data Insights

The gold standard of business intelligence.

Find out more

The Heron detachment will shift its focus to support coalition operations in Regional Command South during the final period of transition of security responsibility to Afghan National Security Forces, as Australia’s presence in Uruzgan comes to an end.

The Heron RPA, which will be based at Kandahar Air Field, will provide a highly capable system for Nato-led security mission International Security Assistance Force’s (ISAF) Regional Command South in the coming months.

"Heron RPA uses multiple sensors simultaneously, and is capable of medium altitude long endurance flights."

Australia Air Force chief air marshal Geoff Brown said the Heron has provided the air force with experience and knowledge essential for the use of unmanned platforms in the air force’s future fleet.

"The air force has gained immense experience in the use of unmanned aerial systems during the campaign in Afghanistan. The extension of the Heron deployment until July 2014 will continue this important capability," said Brown.

How well do you really know your competitors?

Access the most comprehensive Company Profiles on the market, powered by GlobalData. Save hours of research. Gain competitive edge.

Company Profile – free sample

Thank you!

Your download email will arrive shortly

Not ready to buy yet? Download a free sample

We are confident about the unique quality of our Company Profiles. However, we want you to make the most beneficial decision for your business, so we offer a free sample that you can download by submitting the below form

By GlobalData
Visit our Privacy Policy for more information about our services, how we may use, process and share your personal data, including information of your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications. Our services are intended for corporate subscribers and you warrant that the email address submitted is your corporate email address.

To provide high-resolution ISR capabilities, Heron RPA uses multiple sensors simultaneously, and is capable of medium altitude long endurance flights.

With a maximum speed of around 100k (180 km/h) and at altitudes of up to 10,000m, Heron can conduct operations in excess of 24 hours.

Image: A Heron Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA). Photo: courtesy of Australian Defence Force.

Defence Technology

See Also: