Successful first flight of the SIDM UAV system in France
Sep 12, 2006
The following is an announcement issued by EADS Defence & Security:
EADS and Israel Aircraft Industry (IAI), have successfully completed the first flight of a MALE UAV System in France. The drone SIDM (Systeme Interimaire de Drone Male) flew from the Istres air base, the DGA (French armaments procurement agency) fly test centre with full communication package including satellite communication and line-of-sight data links. This flight, operated from the operational SIDM ground station, demonstrated the integrity of the UAV system, in particular the Automatic Take-Off and Landing (ATOL), satellite communication and the integral command and control functions.
Herve Guillou, as Head of Defence & Security Systems France, said: "The first flight of the SIDM in France is a great success for our highly qualified project team and another convincing proof of our capabilities in the area of UAV technologies."
Miki Bar, Corporate Vice President & General Manager of the Military Aircraft Group of IAI, said: “The first flight demonstrates the successful collaboration between EADS and IAI which combined new technologies and leading capabilities in the MALE UAV system."
Further flights from Istres are planned to allow the customer to verify the system performance in the coming few months prior to final training of the French Air Force operators.
The SIDM Programme is led by the French armaments directorate DGA (Delegation Generale pour l'Armement). SIDM is a Medium Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) Unmanned Aerial System of the latest generation. Designed for carrying out surveillance, reconnaissance and intelligence missions as well as target acquisition and missions over long distance, by day and night as well as in all weather conditions with integrated anti icing system, SIDM can be used as an independent ISTAR system or as a key component of a full C4ISR system.
Military Air Systems (MAS), the centre of competence for all manned an unmanned airborne weapons systems within EADS, is an integrated business unit within the EADS Defence & Security Systems Division (DS).
With revenues of about € 5.6 billion in 2005 and roughly 23,000 employees across nine nations, DS forms the defence and security pillar within EADS. As a Large Systems Integrator, it offers integrated systems solutions to the new challenges confronting armed forces and global security. It is active in the areas of manned and unmanned integrated combat and mission air systems, including related training services, and in missile systems, battlefield management systems for all branches, global security solutions, secure networks, defence electronics, sensors and avionics, as well as related services.
EADS is a global leader in aerospace, defence and related services. In 2005, EADS generated revenues of € 34.2 billion and employed a workforce of about 113,000.
IAI is Israel's largest high-tech company and a globally recognised leader for the defence and commercial markets. The MALAT division is a world wide recognised developer and manufacturer in the UAV field.
Contacts:
Claire Allanche Tel: +33 (1) 3463 7745
Velizy, France claire.allanche@eads.com
Theodor Benien Tel.: +49 (0) 89 607 32822
Munich, Germany theodor.benien@eads.com
For further information, please contact:
Doron Suslik
Deputy Corporate Vice President for Communications
Israel Aircraft Industries
Tel: 972 (3) 935-8509
Fax: 972 (3) 935-8512
Email: hpaz@iai.co.il
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