India Navy to purchase Elbit Hermes 900 UAS from Israel.

According to information published by the Hindu on November 8, 2023, the Indian Armed Forces have recently contracted additional Medium Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) from Israel.
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Hermes 900 Kochav Unmanned Aerial Vehicle. (Picture source: Elbit)

This acquisition, part of the fourth tranche of emergency procurements authorized by the government, includes two MALE UAS for each of the three services, with deliveries expected early next year.

The Army and Navy have opted for the Hermes 900, manufactured by Elbit Systems, while the Indian Air Force (IAF) has chosen the Heron Mk2 from Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI). This decision follows the Army's previous procurement of four Heron-Mk2 UAS in 2021, which were inducted last year.

About the UAS

The Elbit Systems Hermes 900 Kochav, an Israeli unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), is designed for medium-altitude, long-endurance tactical missions. As a successor to the Hermes 450 series, it is primarily used for reconnaissance, surveillance, and communications relay tasks.

The Hermes 900 can stay airborne for over 30 hours and reach a maximum altitude of 30,000 feet, with a wingspan of 15 meters and a weight of 970 kilograms. It is capable of carrying various payloads up to 300 kilograms, including a range of sensors and electronic equipment.

The Hermes 900 first saw operational use by Israel during Operation Protective Edge in July 2014. Initially in testing and not slated for operational deployment until late 2015, it was pressed into service for specific missions where it outperformed the Hermes 450.

Its first operational mission occurred on July 15, 2014, contributing to a series of operations culminating in a fighter jet attack. During this operation, Elbit personnel maintained the UAV, as Israeli Air Force ground teams were not yet trained for its upkeep.

In Azerbaijan, the procurement of the Hermes 900 was first reported in August 2017, with up to 15 units being acquired. The Azerbaijani government confirmed this purchase in May 2018. During the 2020 Armenian-Azerbaijani skirmishes, Armenia claimed to have shot down an Azerbaijani Hermes 900, a claim that Azerbaijan denied.

The Hermes 900 features a two-person ground crew and has a payload capacity of 450 kilograms. It measures 8.3 meters in length with a wingspan of 15 meters and a gross weight of 1,100 kilograms.

Powered by a Rotax 916 engine, it has a maximum speed of 220 km/h, a cruise speed of 112 km/h, and can endure flights up to 36 hours, reaching a service ceiling of 9,100 meters.