Elbit Systems has selected Lowental Hybrid to provide enhanced propulsion systems for use with some of its uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAVs).
Valued at around $1.4 million, the company’s initial contract to deliver its Native Parallel Hybrid propulsion system spans “development, procurement and services” activities, it announced on 28 January.
“The implementation will enable Elbit Systems to achieve significantly extended flight duration, minimise ground battery logistics requirements… and maintain silent electric operation for covert missions,” Lowental Hybrid says of the 10-year arrangement.
“Unlike conventional combustion or all-electric systems, the solution provides seamless transitions between electric and combustion power modes,” it notes. The developer cites its design’s “continuous in-flight battery charging” as another key performance attribute.
“Our joint work marks an important technological milestone, enhancing endurance, reliability, and simplicity of use,” says Lowental Hybrid chief executive Doron Fridman.
While the lead platform to be equipped with the technology has not been disclosed, the supplier notes that the Native Parallel Hybrid “system’s modular design enables adaptable integration across various UAV platforms, making it suitable for widespread adoption beyond this initial deployment”.
In a separate development, Elbit on 27 January announced its receipt of a multi-year contract to produce air-launched weapons for the Israel Defence Forces (IDF).
Worth approximately $183 million, the award “will expand Israel’s defence industrial base and strengthen the IDF’s capabilities for the immediate future and the challenging security decade ahead”, Elbit says.
The company has not disclosed which weapon systems are contained within the agreement.
