IAI Searcher

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Searcher
IAI-Searcher1.jpg
IAI Searcher in Tel Nof Airbase, Israel
Role Reconnaissance UAV
National origin Israel
Manufacturer IAI
Introduction • Searcher 1 - 1992[1]

• Searcher 2 - 1998[1]

The IAI Searcher (also known by the Hebrew name מרומית Meyromit - "Marsh tern",[2] or officially in Israel as the חוגלה Hugla - "Alectoris") is a reconnaissance UAV developed in Israel in the 1980s. In the following decade, it replaced the IMI Mastiff and IAI Scout UAVs then in service with the Israeli Army.

Design

The Searcher looks almost identical to the Scout and Pioneer, but is in fact scaled up and is well over twice the size of the Scout. The Searcher is powered by a 35 kW (47 hp) piston engine. The new design features updated avionics and sensor systems with greater flight endurance as well as increased redundancy for improved survivability. In addition to Israel, the system had been exported and is currently in use by India, South Korea, Singapore,[3] Thailand and Turkey.[4]

Operational deployment

More than 100 Searcher IIs are being operated by the Indian Air Force and the Indian Navy

Crashes

May 21, 2015 Russian UAV "Forpost" (Searcher II, tail number 923) crashed near Avdeevka (Donetsk region, Ukraine). The aircraft was shot down by Ukrainian volunteer battalion Dnipro-1.[5]

Users

A Republic of Singapore Air Force's IAI Searcher II at Henry Post Army Airfield (Fort Sill, Oklahoma).
Russian Forpost.

Specifications (Searcher II)

The IAI Searcher II

General characteristics

  • Crew: None
  • Capacity: 68 kg (150 lb) payload
  • Length: 5.85 m (19 ft 2 in)
  • Wingspan: 8.54 m (28 ft 0 in)
  • Height: 1.25 m (4 ft 1 in)
  • Gross weight: 500 kg (1,100 lb)
  • Powerplant: 1 × Limbach L 550, 35 kW (47 hp) each

Performance

  • Maximum speed: 200 km/h (125 mph)
  • Endurance: 18 hours
  • Service ceiling: 6,100 m (20,000 ft)

See also

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 [1][dead link]
  2. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  3. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  4. ↑ [2][dead link]
  5. ↑ http://censor.net.ua/photo_news/337036/kadry_sborki_sbitogo_na_donbasse_rossiyiskogo_bespilotnika_forpost_na_uralskom_zavode_po_zakazu_minoborony
  6. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  7. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  8. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

This article contains material that originally came from the web article Unmanned Aerial Vehicles by Greg Goebel, which exists in the Public Domain.

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