MoD orders more Desert Hawks

The Ministry of Defence has awarded Lockheed Martin a $4.8m contract to procure additional Desert Hawk III Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) for the British Army.

The Desert Hawk III UAS consists of a lightweight, hand-launched, ruggedised air vehicle that includes a man-portable ground station. The UAS is said to be capable of autonomous intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions, and the aircraft can also be programmed to avoid terrain and can be re-tasked during flight.

Lockheed Martin’s latest generation long-endurance aircraft is also capable of operating in high-wind environments, such as those experienced in the desert.

Other Desert Hawk III components previously delivered to the British Army include ground control stations, remote video terminals, field repair kits, a spare parts programme and technical support.