Greece introduces a French Safran-made Patroller UAV to conduct ISR missions in Thrace and the Aegean Sea. The UAV conducted its first test flight last week.
The first test flight of the Hellenic army’s new Patroller Unmanned Aircraft occurred last week. According to reports, the first system is expected to be received in 2025 to replace the existing SAGEM Sperwer UAV. The cost for the program is under € 20 million for four UAVs. The NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA) coordinates the negotiations with Safran on behalf of the Hellenic Army.
The Patroller UAV is designed for ISR missions. It can operate for 14 hours at an altitude of 16,000 feet and a speed of 180 km/h. The Patroller can also carry a picoSAR AESA radar.
The acoustic and thermal footprint of the system is small, which increases its survivability on the battlefield. It also has autopilot capability in flight, to and from the area of interest, and takeoff and landing. The Patroller can carry a maximum payload of 210 kg and operate at a maximum altitude of 6,000 meters (20,000 feet) at speeds of 100-200 kilometres per hour, depending on the mission. The aircraft can receive and transmit information and data at distances of up to 200 or 1,000 kilometres via satellite communications systems. In a complete configuration, the Patroller can be equipped with an electro-optical-infrared Euroflir 410 EO/IR pod sensor and two sensors of choice (COMINT, ELINT, synthetic imaging radar or surface surveillance radar). It can be operated for external operations, homeland security, and maritime surveillance missions.
