A Drishti 10 Starliner UAV produced by Adani Defence and Aerospace, the defense arm of the Adani conglomerate, as a local version of Elbit Systems’ Hermes 900 crashed off the Porbandar coast in Gujarat, not far from India’s border with Pakistan, the “Hindustan Times” reports.
The UAV, a medium-altitude, long endurance (MALE) aircraft, entered service with the Indian Navy last year. The specific UAV that crashed was undergoing pre-acceptance trials before delivery to the navy. The same type of UAV also serves the Indian Army in intelligence gathering operations. According to “India Today”, the Drishti 10 lost control during flight and crashed into the sea, raising questions about the reliability of the product. No-one was injured in the incident, and Adani Defence and Aerospace has collected the UAV.
The Drishti 10 is one of the main products in a defense collaboration agreement between Israel and India, which requires companies to work in accordance with the “Made in India” policy. Elbit Systems licenses the design of the Hermes 900 to Adani Defence and Aerospace for sale in India’s growing defense market. A Hermes 900 can cost $6.85 million.
According to local reports in India, the Indian Navy ordered two UAVs in an emergency order and two more in a routine order. 70% of the Indian version of the aircraft is manufactured in India. Like the Hermes 900, the Drishti 10 can operate in all weather conditions. Its maximum flying time is 36 hours, and it can carry a 450 kilogram payload, which enables it to use weapons.
Swiss aren’t satisfied either
This is the second time recently that Elbit Systems’ Hermes 900 model has been received unfavorable publicity. Two weeks ago, Schweizer Radio und Fernsehen reported that, after Switzerland ordered six of them, the Swiss Air Force was surprised to discover that the aircraft lacked a critical component for operating in the country’s airspace. The federal parliamentary finance committee has written to Swiss Minister of Defense Viola Amherd warning that commissioning of the Elbit Systems UAVs is not progressing, and that Swiss defense contractor Ruag needs to fix the problem.
The problem is with the aircrafts’ detect and avoid system, which is particularly important in Swiss terrain. The committee states that unless this system functions properly, operating the aircraft will be subject to limitations and will be much more costly.
The Swiss parliament approved procurement of the UAVs in 2015, but the technical problem is liable to mean that the order will not be completed even in the coming year. So far, the Swiss Air Force has received four of the six UAVs ordered. The parliamentary committee’s letter states that the entire fleet will probably not be fully operational until 2029, instead of in 2019 as planned.
Published by Globes, Israel business news – en.globes.co.il – on January 19, 2025.
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