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Philippines received Hermes UAVs from Israel.
Israel has delivered unmanned air vehicles (UAVs) to the Philippines.
Hermes 450 Tactical Long Endurance UAS (Picture source: Elbit Systems)
The Philippine Air Force has received the first batch of Hermes 450 medium. The Elbit Hermes 450 is an Israeli medium size multi-payload UAV designed for tactical long endurance missions. It has an endurance of over 20 hours, with a primary mission of reconnaissance, surveillance and communications relay.-altitude, long-endurance UAVs.
The initial batch of UAVs arrived in August. The PAF will also receive the Hermes 900 UAVs. It is a sequel to the Hermes 450 series of drones. It has an endurance of over 30 hours and can fly at a maximum altitude of 30,000 feet (9,100 m), with a primary mission of reconnaissance, surveillance and communications relay. The Hermes 900 has a wingspan of 15 m (49 ft) and weighs 970 kg (2,140 lb), with a payload capability of 300 kg (660 lb). Payload options include electro-optical/infrared sensors, synthetic-aperture radar/ground-moving target indication, communications and electronic intelligence, electronic warfare, and hyperspectral sensors.
The UAVs will likely be deployed in Sulu or Palawan. The Philippine Navy and Philippine Army will also acquire their own UAVs.