UAE To Develop Own UAV Fleet

2005-12-12

Riad Kahwaji, Dubai

www.defensenews.com/story.php? F=1384774&C=mideast

In an effort to acquire unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) capabilities and to free itself of restrictions imposed by U.S. export controls, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Armed Forces has embarked on an ambitious plan to develop and build its own UAV fleet for tactical and reconnaissance missions.

Two UAV models produced by the UAE Air Force UAV Research and Technology Center, Dhafra Air Base, Abu Dhabi, were on public display for the first time at the Dubai Air Show in November.

"We are now developing two UAV models in collaboration with foreign companies," said Col. Mahsh Al-Hamili, the head of the UAE Air Force Information, Surveillance and Reconnaissance office, which controls the UAV Research and Technology Center.

"Both UAVs have vertical-takeoff and -landing capability and have undergone many hours of flight tests," Hamili said. The first model, the Al-Sber, is based on the S-100 design and is being developed in partnership with Schiebel, Vienna, Austria.

"Al-Sber, which means the watchkeeper, will be used mostly by the Army, Air Force and Special Operations Forces for surveillance and target tracking," Al-Hamili said.

The second model, the APID 55, is being built in partnership with CybAero, Linksing, Sweden.

"The APID will be used mostly for homeland security observation and reconnaissance missions carried out by the coast guards and border guards," Al-Hamili said. Five APID and nine Al-Sber UAV prototypes have been built.

Both aircraft have advanced electro-optical products built by FLIR Systems, Portland, Ore. Both will use for land deployment a special Humvee designed by engineers from Hummer in the U.S. company's UAE office, according to a UAV Research & Technology Center brochure.

In 2002, the U.S. State Department denied a UAE request for 10 Predator UAVs, which led the UAE Armed Forces Command the following year to build its own UAV, said Maj. Gen. Khaled Al-Bu Ainain, UAE Air Force and Air Defense chief.

The United Arab Emirates intends to market the Al-Sber and APID internationally.

Source: IMRA – Independent Media Review and Analysis