Vietnam wants more Israeli made UAVs

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The Vietnamese Defense Forces will acquire additional unmanned aerial systems (UAS) from Israel.

Following Vietnam’s recent acquisition of the Aeronautics unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), the Vietnamese are also after the larger version, the.

Last year, Vietnam has acquired the Orbiter-2 UAS. Recently, i-HLS has learnt that the Vietnamese are planning to use this system as an aerial forward observation unit for their artillery corps.

The Orbiter-2 mini UAS is manufactured by Aeronautics in Israel. According to the company, the use of a UAS instead of a ground based forward observation officer allows “first round on target”, as well as “over the hill view”.

Speaking to i-HLS, Company sources confirm that Vietnam wants additional Orbiter-2 systems. The Vietnamese are also interested in the larger version, the Orbiter 3.

Aeronautics is offering present operators of the company’s Orbiter 2 UAS an upgrade version called the Orbiter-2B. This system features the unique capability of navigating independently, enabling completion of the mission even if the GPS is jammed or there is no communication.

The Orbiter-2B also comes complete with a warning system, which sends alerts regarding any deviation from the mission definitions, confers on the operator high-level monitoring and control capabilities that ensure mission success.
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The UAS also provides interfaced payloads with unique intelligence capabilities and high-level information processing.

According to the Israeli company, the system is designed for field deployment, launched from a catapult and recovered vertically by opening a parachute & an airbag. The Orbiter 3 can perform any intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition, and reconnaissance mission (ISTAR).

It is also capable of performing target designation missions. “The systems’ enhanced performance makes it equally capable of performing missions of much larger and heavier UAVs,” said the company’s deputy CEO.

The Orbiter 3 has an operational Altitude of 1000 – 3000 Feet (approximately 300 to 900 meters). It features an LOS Data Link with a range of over 100 km. The Orbiter 3’s operational speed is 30 to 70 Knots, and its max Operational Altitude of the system is 18,000 Feet. The system’s max payload weight is 5.5 kg, and it has an endurance of 7 Hours.