Recent conflicts have highlighted the need for loitering munitions systems capable of detecting and destroying enemy air defences, armour and command and control systems. The conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh has shown that such systems are essential to degrade the enemy’s air defences and command and control systems. THE Israeli HAROP system was instrumental in destroying the Armenian air defences, enabling the secondary UAVs like Turkish Bayraktar TB2 to destroy other targets with freedom. Ukrainians tried to use Bayraktar TB2 as the primary system and failed due to the superior air defences of the Russians.
At the same time, US systems like Switchblade-300 and AGM-88 High-Speed Anti-radiation Missiles (HARMs) failed to impact the Russian forces as the former is too lightly armed, and the latter had to be carried by aircraft, which is a luxury for the Ukrainians. The Shahed-136 drones purchased from Iran have been very effective against the Ukrainian forces for the Russians.
Given the latest conflict scenario, UVision Air Ltd., considered a rising star in loitering munitions, has reported a substantial rise in order volume, including contracts in Europe and the Americas.
Hero-120 Loitering Munition System
This tank-killing system, with a range of over 40 kilometres, meets the complex needs of the current battlefield, such as those observed in recent combat operations in Ukraine. The manufacturer says that the Hero-120 executes accurate hits against anti-armour, anti-material, and anti-personnel targets, such as tanks, cars, and other soft targets in urbanised areas. Its unique aerodynamic structure facilitates the precise capabilities of the system.
The company says that in addition to intuitive and easy operation, the system assures the destruction of targets and Battle Harm Assessment (BDA) with minor collateral damage to noncombatants. In addition, its vast assortment of multifunctional warheads enables the operational user to engage any target effectively.
Major General (Retired) Avi Mizrachi, CEO of UVision, said that the company had signed many contracts in the previous year, including with the US Special Operations Command, the US Marine Corps, a NATO nation, and now a Latin American country. The company has begun a process to enhance production, which includes accelerating the grand launch of the first UVision manufacturing plant in Virginia, United States.
UVision will exhibit the Hero-120 and other HERO family systems at the AUSA Annual Meeting and Exposition in Washington, DC, from 10-12 October 2022.
Hero-30 Loitering Munition System
An easy-to-use system with a high degree of precision attack and abort capabilities, allowing infantry and special forces to commence operations, react to any enemy target or threat, and kill it with great precision. The Hero-30’s sophisticated features include:
- Excellent tracking accuracy and lock-on while engaging targets.
- A mission abort at the last second.
- Reengagement for a second assault attempt or target modification.
Its flexible installation options (man-packable, vehicle-mounted, and stationary) make it suitable for a wide variety of operations circumstances.
Hero-400 Loitering Munition System
It is a long-range, high-precision loitering munition system with a minimum acoustic, optical, and thermal signature capable of identifying, tracking, and hitting stationary and moving targets.
Targets are relocated with great precision and little collateral harm. With a combination of precision-strike capabilities, extended endurance of up to two hours, and a multipurpose warhead – including concrete-piercing, high explosive, and fragmentation – the Hero-400 enables the engagement of various types of targets with exceptional accuracy and long-range, flexible missions. Due to its superior manoeuvrability, the Hero-400 is equipped with a sophisticated mid-air abort capability that permits autonomous re-entry into loitering mode, re-engagement, or parachute return to the recovery location.
HERO Training and Simulation System
With three variants – classroom, portable, and integrated into the operational control unit – UVision offers a complete solution for HERO operators, allowing for more flexible training. The classroom design offers numerous learners a powerful simulation solution with a comprehensive and configurable scenario generator. The portable and embedded field simulator setups provide HERO operators with ongoing hands-on training at several levels during deployments, ensuring the greatest operational proficiency and preparedness at all times.
UVision develops and produces smart loitering munition systems that have been demonstrated in battle, providing military organisations with accurate and effective strike capabilities worldwide. Its innovative, cost-effective technologies are based on cutting-edge technology and thirty years of field experience by military personnel, engineers, and the company’s management.
UVision says its loitering bombs are built with unique flight characteristics for precision-attack munitions, incorporating superior aerial guidance and sophisticated navigation algorithms in conjunction with C4I stations – thereby addressing the demands of today’s complex and dynamic battlefields.