Thales Watchkeeper WK450

The Watchkeeper 450 is an unmanned reconnaissance drone for the British armed forces.

Launched in July 2005, 800 million -pound program was awarded to Thales UK as the prime contractor. The missile is based on the Israeli Elbit Hermes 450 UAV, and is equipped for the intended use with optical sensors, one operating in the Ku-band radar and an automatic takeoff and landing system. The British Army has ordered 54 missiles and 15 ground stations.

It is powered by a rotary engine drone with 38 kW of power, which drives a two-bladed pusher propeller. As a payload 150 kg are given.

The first flight of the drone was on 16 April 2008 at Megiddo in Israel instead. The first flight in the UK ( in Aberporth in Wales) was held on April 14, 2010. By the end of 2010, ready to use device with the necessary ground equipment to the British Army were to be delivered, the delivery date was however first, then February to the end of 2011. Later Watchkeeper should be delivered in the first quarter of 2012 to Afghanistan and throughout the rest of 2012 away in increasing numbers. In March 2012, the responsible Minister Peter Luff told the British Parliament that delay the delivery, since the approval for civil aviation still ausstünde. He renounced this deliberately on a specified date, as they would only be speculation. Back in February, the Ministry of Defence announced that Watchkeeper but to want to use in the year 2012 in Afghanistan, which has not been implemented due to technical problems.

It was originally planned by the UK, and settle Watchkeeper UAV 2011, the Lydian previously used. Meanwhile, France has expressed interest in the Drone to replace its unmanned Sagem Sperwer can. An evaluation of this began in October 2012 and program in 2013 [ deprecated] be completed.

Specifications

  • Length: 6.1 m
  • Wingspan: 10.51 m
  • Take off weight: 450 kg
  • Maximum speed: 175 km / h
  • Flight altitude: 5,500 m
  • Service life: up to 20 hours
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