TheElbit Systems Skylark IandSkylark IIareminiature UAVsdeveloped byElbit Systems.Initial models of the Skylark entered service in 2008.
Skylark I/II | |
---|---|
Skylark I Launched | |
Role | Miniature UAV |
National origin | Israel |
Manufacturer | Elbit Systems |
Introduction | 2008 |
Primary user | Israel Defense Forces |
Design and development
editSkylark I
editThe Skylark I is aMiniature UAV.It is designed as a manpacked system for tactical surveillance and reconnaissance. The Skylark is launched by hand. The payload consists of a daylight CCD or optionalFLIRfor night operations. During operation, it sends real-time video to a portable ground station. Recovery involves a deep stall maneuver, landing on a small inflatable cushion. It has a range of 20/40 km.[citation needed]
The Skylark is in operation with the armed forces ofCroatia,Czech Republic,Hungary,Israel,Macedonia,Myanmar,[1][2][3]Netherlands,Poland,Slovakia,andSweden.It has been deployed inAfghanistanandIraq.[4]The Skylark I has also been selected byFrance's special forces (Commando Parachutiste de l'Air n° 10) in March 2008.[5][6]Previous operators who have now retired the system include Australia and Canada. In total, it has been selected by more than 20 operators worldwide.[7]
Skylark II
editThe Skylark II was unveiled in 2006. It has a range of 60 km and is designed to be operated by a two-person crew and to be deployed usingHMMWV-class field vehicles. In December 2007,South Koreadecided to purchase the Skylark II system.[8]Israel planned to bring the Skylark II into service by mid-2013.[9]
Skylark 3
editIn February 2016, Elbit Systems unveiled the Skylark 3 unmanned air system, revealing it had already gained selection by an undisclosed customer. The Skylark 3 is intended to support brigade and division-level units, having a 4.8 m (15.7 ft) wingspan and a maximum take-off weight of 45 kg (99 lb) with a 10 kg (22 lb) payload. It is deployed from apneumaticlauncher on the ground or mounted on a vehicle, with an operating range of more than 54 nmi (62 mi; 100 km), a service ceiling of 15,000 ft (4,600 m), and flight endurance of up to 6 hours. Two air vehicles can be operated simultaneously using a shared ground control station.[10]
Operational history
editThe Skylark entered operational service in 2008, and began being used in large quantities for high-tempo support of ground forces duringOperation Protective Edgewhich began on 8 July 2014. Every active and reserve brigade received at least two air vehicles and flew them continuously, sometimes both vehicles at the same time. By August 12, some 18 systems had flown several hundred hours, generating intelligence and streaming target-acquisition data to soldiers on the ground.[11]
On 21 December 2014, Syrian sources claimed a Skylark UAV crashed inQuneitraGovernorate during a reconnaissance mission; however, theIsrael Defense Forces(IDF) said that they had no knowledge of an UAV in that area at the time. It was not clear if the UAV had crashed or was shot down but photos of the drone were released later.[12]
On 12 August 2015,Al-Qassam BrigadesofHamasclaimed that they had captured a Skylark I and reused it for their own missions. The drone was captured on 22 July 2015 by one of their special commando units, and technically checked to make sure it was not booby-trapped.[13][unreliable source?]
On 20 March 2017, the Syrian Defense Ministry claimed a Skylark had been shot down and captured on the outskirts ofQuneitra.[14]The drone went down due to human error by the troops who were flying it, IDF officials said.[15]
During the 2023Israel–Hamas war,HamasandPalestinian Islamic Jihad,reportedly captured at least two Skylark drones.[16][17]
Operators
editCurrent operators
edit- Azerbaijan[18]
- Croatia
- Czech Republic
- France
- Georgia
- Honduras
- Hungary[19]
- Israel
- Macedonia
- Mexico
- Myanmar:One Skylark I-LEX UAV ofMyanmar Armycaptured by rebels in early 2020.[1][2][3]
- Netherlands
- Philippines
- Poland[20]
- Slovakia[21]
- South Korea
- Sweden
- Turkmenistan[22]
- Uruguay
Former operators
edit- AustraliaSystems now retired and replaced byAeroVironment Wasp III
- CanadaSystems now retired and replaced byAeroVironment RQ-11 Raven
Specifications
editSkylark I
editMan Packed Hand Launched Over the Hill Mini UAV[23][24]
- Type:Mini Unmanned Aerial System
- Length:2.2 m (7 ft 3 in)
- Wingspan:2.4 m (7.9 ft)
- Take-off Weight:5.5 kg (12 lb)
- Service Ceiling:4,900 m (16,000 ft)
- Speed:37 to 74 km/h; 23 to 46 mph (20 to 40 kn)
- Mission radius:5 to 10 km (3.1 to 6.2 mi)
- Endurance:2 hours
Skylark I-LEX
editSkylark I-LEX is a new generation, man-portable, electric-propelled, mini unmanned aerial system (UAS).[25]
- Type:Mini Unmanned Aerial System
- Take-off Weight:7.5 kg (17 lb)
- Payload Weight:1.2 kg (2.6 lb)
- Service Ceiling:4,600 m (15,000 ft)
- Range:40 km (25 mi)
- Endurance:3 hours
Skylark C
editSkylark C is a shipborne mini UAS designed for patrol boats and small vessel operations.[26][27][28]
- Type:Mini UAS For Tactical Naval and Maritime Applications
- Take-off Weight:15 kg (33 lb)
- Service Ceiling:4,600 m (15,000 ft)
- Range:40 km (25 mi)
- Endurance:5 hours
Skylark II UAV
editThe Skylark II is a close-range tactical unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) system.
- Type:Unmanned Aerial Vehicle
- Wingspan:5 m (16 ft)
- Maximum take-off weight:43 kg (95 lb)
- Maximum payload weight:10 kg (22 lb)
- Powerplant:1 × 4 kW (5 hp) electrical motor
- Maximum endurance:6 hours
- Service ceiling:4,572 m
- Maximum altitude:16,000 ft
- Maximum range:50 km (31 mi)
Skylark 3
editSkylark 3 is a tactical mini UAV system (UAS) optimized for both dismounted and vehicle-based operation[29][30]
- Type:Unmanned Aerial Vehicle
- Wingspan:4.7 m (15 ft)
- Maximum take-off weight:40 kg (88 lb)
- Maximum endurance:5 hours
- Maximum altitude:4,600 m (15,000 ft)
- Maximum range:100 km (62 mi)
Skylark 3 Hybrid
editSkylark 3 Hybrid is a Long Endurance Tactical Mini UAS[31]
- Type:Unmanned Aerial Vehicle
- Wingspan:4.7 m (15 ft)
- Maximum take-off weight:48 kg (106 lb)
- Maximum endurance:18 hours
- Maximum altitude:3,700 m (12,000 ft)
- Maximum range:120 km (75 mi)
- Propulsion:hybrid propulsion system, electric and internal combustion
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ab"Arakan Army Seizes Three Soldiers' Sons in Western Myanmar".The Irrawaddy.2020-06-26.Retrieved2020-09-24.
- ^abAA, ULA / (2020-06-27)."Three sons of soldiers from Myanmar Army, came to collect the UAS drone were Captured by Arakan Army".ARAKAN ARMY.Retrieved2020-09-24.
- ^ab"An Israel Made Drone Is Seized by Arakan Army and Arrested 3 Family Members of Myanmar Army While Looking for the Drone".Retrieved2020-09-24.
- ^"Shifting trends: Special forces equipment".Janes.com.Archived fromthe originalon 2008-06-02.
- ^"To gain autonomy, the Air Parachute Commando n ° 10 designs the CORVUS, its own mini-drone".opex360.com.2018-08-25.Retrieved2021-02-28.
- ^[1][dead link ]
- ^"Uruguay seeks Elbit Skylark UAV deal".Flightglobal.com.16 November 2015.Retrieved26 June2017.
- ^"South Korea chooses Israeli-made unmanned surveillance plane.. - Haaretz - Israel News".Archived fromthe originalon 2007-12-19.Retrieved2007-12-27.
- ^Israel; Army prepares to induct Skylark 2 UAV,Dmilt.com, March 15, 2013
- ^Elbit unveils Skylark 3 UAV- Flightglobal.com, 12 February 2016
- ^Israeli Forces Praise Elbit UAVs in Gaza OpDefensenews.com, 12 August 2014
- ^"Syria says shot down Israeli drone over Quneitra".Haaretz.Retrieved2021-04-08.
- ^Al-Qassam Brigades captures Israeli drone last month- The Palestinian Information Center, 12 August 2015
- ^"Israeli drone shot down by Syria forces".The Times of Israel.March 21, 2017.RetrievedMarch 22,2017.
- ^Zitun, Yoav (22 March 2017)."Initial investigation findings point to human error in IDF drone crash".Ynetnews.Retrieved26 June2017.
- ^https://english.alarabiya.net/News/middle-east/2023/11/15/Islamic-Jihad-says-shot-down-Israeli-Skylark-drone-in-Gaza[bare URL]
- ^https://www.msn.com/en-ae/news/featured/al-qassam-downs-second-israeli-drone-in-24-hours-and-targets-5-merkava-tanks/ar-AA1ma59t[bare URL]
- ^Mitzer, Stijn; Oliemans, Joost (29 December 2021)."Death From Above - Azerbaijan's Killer Drone Arsenal".Oryx.
- ^""The Silent Sparrowhawk"".honvedelem.hu(in Hungarian). 2014-04-08.Retrieved2021-02-28.
- ^"Israeli Elbit To Build Drones In Poland".2006-09-05.
- ^"Slovak Special Forces purchased Elbit's Skylark I-LEX".israeldefense.co.il.2017-02-20.Retrieved2021-02-28.
- ^Mitzer, Stijn (14 February 2022)."Turkmenistan's Path To Drone Power".Oryx Blog.
- ^"Skylark Man Packed Over the Hill Mini UAV"(PDF).Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 2005-01-13.
- ^"Elbit page on Skylark I".Archived fromthe originalon 2007-09-26.
- ^"Skylark I-LEX".Archivedfrom the original on 2021-08-16.Retrieved2021-08-16.
- ^"Skylark C".Archivedfrom the original on 2021-08-16.Retrieved2021-08-16.
- ^"Elbit Systems Introduces Skylark C".Archivedfrom the original on 2021-08-16.Retrieved2021-08-16.
- ^"Skylark C Shipborne Mini UAS"(PDF).Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 2017-09-18.
- ^"Skylark 3".Archivedfrom the original on 2021-08-16.Retrieved2021-08-16.
- ^"Skylark 3 Field Deployed Tactical ISTAR UAS"(PDF).Archived(PDF)from the original on 2018-05-17.
- ^"Skylark 3 Hybrid Long Endurance Tactical Mini UAS"(PDF).Archived(PDF)from the original on 2021-08-16.
External links
edit- "Elbit page on Skylark I".Archived fromthe originalon 2007-09-26.
- "Elbit page on Skylark II".Archived fromthe originalon 2006-10-24.