Hunter
 
 
 
 
 

IAI UAVs
 

The Hunter is a heavy tactical UAV system for surveillance, reconnaissance, target acquisition, artillery adjustment and damage assessment. 

The Hunter system main features and capabilities are:

  • Twin engine configuration
  • Built from composite materials to reduce radar detection
  • Wheeled or Rocket Assisted Takeoff (RATO) 
  • Automatic Takeoff and Landing (ATOL) system for maximal safety 
  • Fully redundant, state-of-the-art avionics
  • Elevator for payload installation to prevent damage during take-off and landing 
  • Safe, reliable and easy operation
  • Capable of being upgraded to E-Hunter (Extended Endurance Platform)
  • Capable of carrying multiple payloads simultaneously 
 
 
 
 
 

Payloads

  • MOSP Multi Optronic Stabilized Payload 
  • Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR)
  • COMINT & ESM Integration Capability 
  • Communication relay package
  • Customer furnished payloads

 Datalinks

  • Direct Line-of-Sight (LOS) data link
  • UAV airborne data relay for beyond LOS missions 
  • Ground-based data relay for beyond LOS missions
 
 

Performance
Endurance         21 hr
Range              250 km
Altitude      20,000 ft

Technical Data

Weights
 Max. take-off weight     885 kg
 Max. payload weight    100 kg

Dimensions
Overall length       6.90 m
Wingspan           10.50 m

 
 
B-Hunter UAV Wins Belgium Competition 
 
December 15, 1998

Ben-Gurion International Airport, Israel - The Belgium Government announced December 10, 1998 its decision to buy three Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) Systems. The contract has been awarded to the "Eagle" alliance, a temporary association consisting of Alcatel Etca S.A., Alcatel Bell Space & Defense N.V., SAIT Systems S.A., Sonaca S.A. and Israel Aircraft Industries (IAI) MALAT Division. This alliance was established to provide the most capable industrial team to meet the Belgium Army's UAV mission requirements. 

The selected system is a version, with upgraded capabilities, of the Hunter UAV system developed by IAI/MALAT, and is based on the seven Hunter UAV systems/62 air vehicles purchased by the U.S. Army, and a Hunter system that was purchased by the French Army. 

The principal upgraded capabilities of the B-Hunter are full automatic takeoff and landing, advanced ground control station and advanced avionics. These advancements were based on lessons learned from the U.S. Army's successful operation of their Hunter UAV systems and are applicable to the U.S. Army's Hunter fleet. 

The announcement by the Belgium Government ends a period of stringent, comparative evaluation and rigorous testing of a number of candidate UAV systems. A highly qualified Belgium team who had more than 20 years of Belgium operational experience with UAV systems conducted the assessment. The final contenders were the French Sagem "Sperwer" UAV, the Swiss Oerlikon-Contraves "Ranger" system and IAI's Hunter UAV system, as proposed by the "Eagle" alliance. 

Sharing Malat's extensive UAV experience with its partners, the work on the new B-Hunter system will be conducted in both Belgium and Israel. The first system, to be used for validation purposes, will be delivered by the year 2000. 
 

Hunter UAV System Features
Multi-role short-range UAV system with combi electro-optical payloads 
Full automatic take-off and landing 
Take-off and landing from unprepared terrain 
Improved avionics & datalink 
New advanced ground control station 
High level of airworthiness 
Emergency parachute 
Twin engine configuration 
NATO standard compatible 
Meets European environmental requirements 
Integrated logistic support 

B-Hunter UAV System Major Characteristics
Endurance more then 10 hrs 
Range more then 100 km 
Altitude Up to 15,000 ft 
Max. Speed 110 knot 
Powerplant Twin engines, 4 stroke 2 cylinder 64 hp each 
Max. Take-off Weight 727 kg 
Overall Length 6.90 m 
Wing Span 8.90 m