Germany has joined three other NATO allies in Afghanistan that operate the Heron, a long-range unmanned aerial vehicle.
Australia, Canada and France are also operating the platform in Afghanistan that features intelligence, surveillance and
reconnaissance capabilities.
Under the multi-million-euro contract, the state-owned Israel Aerospace Industries
would work with Germany's Rheinmetall Defence to deliver, deploy and operate
the Heron-1 unmaned aerial vehicle for the NATO mission in Afghanistan.
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Executives said Heron would be leased to the German contingent in
Afghanistan for one year, with an option for another two years. Australia
and Canada have concluded similar arrangements for Heron.
"We are proud to provide along with Rheinmetall our operationally proven
UAV systems to the German Armed Forces," IAI president Itzhak Nissan said.
Executives said Heron would begin flights in Afghanistan by mid-March
2010. They said the platform marked a significant improvement from the UAVs
deployed by the German Army. In early 2009, the German contingent began
operating Rheinmetall's KZO tactical UAV system.
"All logistical and maintenance services for the German Heron system
will be performed by Rheinmetall Defense, which will operate a 24/7
maintenance and support center in the theater," IAI said.
Executives said IAI would supply the Heron, with logistics and
maintenance services provided by Rheinmetall. The Germany Army would operate
the UAV.