SAGEM Sperwer
| Sperwer | |
|---|---|
| File:SPERWER B P1220856.jpg Sperwer B on its launch rail | |
| General information | |
| Type | Reconnaissance aircraft/UAV |
| Manufacturer | SAGEM |
| Primary users | French Army Canadian Armed Forces (Retired) |
The SAGEM Sperwer (Pronounced Spehr-wuhr, Dutch for Sparrowhawk) is an unmanned aerial vehicle manufactured by the French firm SAGEM. The aircraft is piloted remotely and can cruise at altitudes of over 16,000 feet for as long as five hours. It can send back images of targets up to 150 kilometers away from its ground control station.
Operational history
[edit | edit source]The Sperwer is currently in service with the French Army (61e régiment d'artillerie), the Royal Netherlands Air Force, Swedish Air Force, United States Air National Guard, Hellenic Army (Greece) with the Netherlands in the process of removing them from front line use.
Canadian Armed Forces operated the Sperwer in Afghanistan between 2003 and its last mission on 18 April 2009 when it was replaced with the Israeli built IAI Heron.[1]
The Royal Danish Army also bought Sperwer, but a series of problems forced the Ministry of Defence to cancel the programme and sell the remainder to Canada. As well the Danish Army no longer operate any aircraft and there are no plans for UAVs by the Royal Danish Air Force. Canada itself removed the Sperwers from front-line use in 2009, while the Netherlands was planning to phase its Sperwer drones out of front line use in March 2009 in favor of rented UAVs from Israel's Aeronautics Defense Systems Ltd.
Operators
[edit | edit source]- File:Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Canada
- Canadian Armed Forces. Designated CU-161 in service; retired.
- File:Flag of Denmark.svg Denmark
- Danish Army. Programme cancelled.
- File:Flag of France.svg France
- French Army. In service with three more ordered and an option on another five, all with enhanced sensors.[2]
- File:Flag of Greece.svg Greece
- Hellenic Army. In service.
- File:Flag of the Netherlands.svg Netherlands
- Royal Netherlands Air Force. Retired.
- File:Flag of Sweden.svg Sweden
- Swedish Army. Designated UAV01 Ugglan (the Owl) in service; retired.
- File:Flag of the United States (23px).png United States
- Air National Guard.[citation needed]
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Aircraft on display
[edit | edit source]Six of the retired Sperwers can be found in Canadian museums:[3]
- AirForce Museum Society of Alberta – serial number 026[4]
- Canada Aviation and Space Museum – serial number 001[5]
- National Air Force Museum of Canada – serial number 007[6]
- Greenwood Military Aviation Museum − 161026 and spare parts from 028[7]
Two of the retired Sperwers can be found in Dutch museums:
- Nationaal Militair Museum, former Soesterberg Air Base Netherlands – serial number Z061[8]
- Artillery Museum, Netherlands – serial number Z051[9]
See also
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References
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- ^ French Army to procure more Sperwer drones from Sagem
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External links
[edit | edit source]
- Sperwer Update
- UAV payload applications
- Defense Industry Daily – Dutch to Rent Israeli UAVs for Afghanistan
- Defense Industry Daily – Canada Contracts for Heron UAVs
