Greece, which could not respond to the increasing Turkish UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) activity in the Aegean Sea and expressed this situation in its reports, found the solution in Israel.
The waters in the Mediterranean and Aegean are getting warmer despite COVID-19. Athens signed a Heron UAV lease agreement with Israel, according to a statement from the Israeli Ministry of Defense's official social media account. Greece has the option to procure platforms under the contract, which is signed digitally due to the epidemic conditions and will be valid for three years.
The UAVs that Athens to receive will have sub-components such as maritime patrol radar equipment, satellite communication system (SATCOM), electronic intelligence equipment and day/night optics for maritime patrol missions.
Platforms have 1,270 kilogram maximum take-off weight and up to 45 hours endurance. Thanks to SATCOM, Heron has 1000 km communication range. UAVs, which can reach a maximum speed of 140 kt/hour, can perform a patrol missionspolice station at 35,000 feet at a 60-80 knots per hour. Heron's payload capacity is 470 kilograms.
211216-N-QI061-1222 NAVAL STATION MAYPORT, Fla. (December 16, 2021) An MQ-4C Triton Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS), assigned to Unmanned Patrol Squadron 19 (VUP-19), sits on the flight line at Naval Station Mayport, Florida, Dec. 16, 2021. VUP-19, the Navy’s first Triton squadron, will continue to maintain and operate the aircraft off the East Coast to further develop the concept of operations and refine tactics, techniques, and procedures. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Nathan T. Beard/ Released)