Elbit Systems will conduct the first simultaneous test of its universal command and control ground station with the Hermes 450 and Hermes 900 unmanned air vehicles before the end of this year.

The test will include a full mission involving the two types in several scenarios, including requiring the control system to handle different payloads.

The Israeli air force is the immediate customer for the universal control system, having included it in a recent launch order for the Hermes 900, which also included an additional batch of Hermes 450s.

Hermes-900 
© Elbit Systems

According to the air force, the increasing use of UAVs will create a permanent need to operate different vehicle types carrying a variety of sensors.

"These payloads are critical in building a comprehensive picture of the combat area, and the operators need a common tool to operate the different types," says an air force source. Elbit's system is being developed using the past experience gained by the service.

Source: Flight International