Harfang

Description: The Eagle is a Medium Altitude, Long Endurance (MALE) UAV designed for strategic intelligence missions. It will meet the requirements of the French Air Force, MALE program, and the Netherlands. This European program has been named EUROMALE and it is being developed by EADS as prime contractor and Thales. The Eagle UAV will incorporate IR/EO sensors, Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR), Electronic Intelligence (ELINT), and Communications Intelligence (COMINT), and laser designator payloads. Communications between the UAV and the ground control station will be done via satellites (SATCOM) and line-of-sight data links.

Eagle 1 will perform strategic intelligence missions during 24 hours at altitudes of 25,000 feet. In service date for the Eagle UAV is scheduled for 2009 and the program total cost involving 12+12 Eagles could be as high as €1,100 million. The Eagle is an evolution from IAI/MALAT's Heron long endurance UAV. Up to five different payloads consisting of EO/IR sensors, SAR or Maritime Patrol Radar, ESM, COMINT, radio relay and more, can be carried by a single Eagle/Heron at the same mission.

EuroMale/SIDM maiden flight was carried out successfully on 11 September 2006 after taking off from Istres French Air Force Base in France. The flight was monitored by EADS, IAI and the French Defense Procurement Agency (DGA). This flight was managed by SIDM ground control station validating the UAVs satellite communications and line-of-sight datalink.