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Aerostar

TUAV

Sold to:

Azerbaijan Cote d’Ivoire Netherlands
Poland

Company:

Aeronautics Defense Systems

Aerostar

TUAV

General Information

The Aerostar was designed and built by Aeronautics Defence Systems.
Aerostar is a tactical unmanned aerial vehicle (TUAV) designed to execute intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition and reconnaissance operations. The medium altitude, long endurance vehicle can capture real time intelligence data over a large area and transfer it to a ground control station (GCS) through a satellite communication data link. The ground control station is also designed and manufactured by Aeronautics Defense Systems . Three crew members – a pilot, mission commander and payload commander – are required to control the aircraft from the GCS. The range is 200km.
Aerostar Tactical UAS was introduced in 2001 and operated worldwide, accumulating 130,000 operational hours between 2001-2013. Aerostar was one of the first UAVs to operate in civil missions such as at oil rigs protection program near the shores of Angola, as well as in military leasing programs in the Middle East and in Afghanistan.
A $30m order was placed by the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) in 2008 for four Aerostar systems. Each system comprises a package that includes four UAVs, payloads, ground control stations, data links, training, support and maintenance.[1]Air Force Technology : Aerostar Tactical Unmanned Aerial Vehicle In 2009, the Dutch Ministry of Defence awarded a $51m contract to Aeronautics for supplying Aerostar to the Royal Netherlands Army for deployment with the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Uruzgan province in Afghanistan.[2]Globes : The Royal Dutch Army will use the company’s Aerostar tactical UAV in Afghanistan. The Polish Forces awarded a $30m contract in 2010 for two Aerostar systems, each comprising four UAVs, a ground control station, and an automatic take-off and landing payload. The first Aerostar was deployed in Afghanistan in 2010 while the second is being used for training purposes.[3]Air Force Technology : Aerostar Tactical Unmanned Aerial Vehicle
Aerostar TUAV

 

Use by Israeli forces:

The Aerostar TUAV was designed and built by Aeronautics Defence Systems for the Israeli military to execute intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition and reconnaissance operations. The aircraft entered service in 2000 by the name “Shalev”.[4]IAFE – Israel Air Force aerial vehicles It was deployed also by the Israeli police forces to identify and arrest traffic offenders and criminals and to search for missing persons.[5]Air Force Technology : Aerostar Tactical Unmanned Aerial Vehicle In 2007 the Israeli military renewed its contract with Aeronautics for Aerostar TUAVs for $15 million.[6]Haaretz: Aeronautics signed deal with IDF for $15m

In 2017 Aeronautics Defence Systems allegedly flew a suicide drone, named Orbiter, that is based on the Aerostar, into an Armenian army position in a disputed border region, during a “live demonstration” for Azerbaijan.[7]Globes : Aeronautics denies operating suicide drone in Azerbaijan The incident is to this date still under investigation.