Heron Mark-2

India introduced Heron Mark-2 drones in IAF

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Heron Mark-2 drones The Government of India had inducted Heron Mark-2 drones in IAF for the purpose of surveillance along the borders with both China and Pakistan. These 4 drones equipped with long-range missiles and other weapons systems, have been deployed at a forward air base in the northern sector, where it is used for intelligence gathering, border patrol, and counter-insurgency operations.

All about Heron Mark-2

PLANE NAME Heron Mark-2
UAV ModelHeron MK II
TypeMedium Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) UAV
EngineRotax 916 iS
Maximum Altitude35,000 feet
Maximum Speed150 knots
Endurance (Flight Time)45 consecutive hours
Body StructureWider, stronger for easy maintenance
PayloadsVarious payloads like Sensors, Radars, etc.
Special ConfigurationsELINT, COMINT, ESM, Communication Relay, etc.
Standoff CapabilityGather intelligence from distance, no crossing borders
Heron Mark-2 is a updated version of the Heron Mark-1 which was serving at IAF since 2009 is a longer range and endurance, and is equipped with more advanced sensors. It had a medium-altitude long-endurance (MALE) drone, with a maximum range of 3,000 kilometres and an endurance of 24 hours, equipped with a variety of sensors, including a synthetic aperture radar (SAR), an electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) camera, and a laser designator. The SAR can be used to image targets in all weather conditions, day or night, while the EO/IR camera can be used for target identification and tracking. The laser designator is used to locate targets for precision strikes.

What is the range of the Heron Mark-2 drone?

The range of Heron Mark-2 is  250 km (160 mi) line-of-sight and 1,000 km (620 mi)

What is the cost of an IAI Heron drone?

India is going to pay  $400 million for the drone.

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