Hezbollah downs Israeli Hermes 900 UAV
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The Islamic Resistance in Lebanon shoots down an Israeli Hermes 900 drone over southern Lebanon.
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Israeli Hermes 900 drone in freefall after it was intercepted by the Islamic Resistance in Lebanon - Hezbollah, in Deir Kifa, southern Lebanon, June 1, 2024. (Social media)
The Islamic Resistance in Lebanon - Hezbollah announced Saturday that it shot down an Israeli Hermes 900 drone over southern Lebanon.
The drone was shot down using a surface-to-air missile and it was later declared to have been a hostile Hermes 900 high-payload drone.
The drone was said to have been shot down over the southern Lebanese town of Deir Kifa.
⚡️More footage of the massive Hermes 900 armed drone that was struck by Hezb-Allah air defence over southern Lebanon moments ago pic.twitter.com/QTBpuk3u9E
— War Monitor (@WarMonitors) June 1, 2024
The Hermes 900, also known as "Kochav", is designed and manufactured by the Israeli security technology company Elbit Systems and is primarily used for intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition, reconnaissance (ISTAR), and aerial reconnaissance missions.
It is a medium-altitude long-endurance (MALE) UAV with a wingspan of 15 meters (49 feet). It has a maximum takeoff weight of around 1,180 kilograms (2,600 pounds).
Operated by Squadron 166 of the Israeli Air Force, the Hermes 900 weighs 970 kg, enjoys a maximum payload weight of 350 kg, and reaches a maximum altitude of 30,000 feet.
The drone is equipped with various sensors and payloads, including electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) cameras, synthetic aperture radar (SAR), maritime patrol radar, signals intelligence (SIGINT) systems, and electronic warfare (EW) capabilities.
The Hermes 900 enjoys a maximum flight endurance of up to 36 hours in a single sortie, allowing it to conduct long-duration missions.
The aircraft is operated remotely from a ground control station (GCS) by a team of operators and uses secure data links for communication with the ground control station, allowing real-time control and data transmission.
The Hermes 900 entered service with the Israeli Air Force in 2012 and was used during the Israeli occupation's war on the Gaza Strip in 2014. It is the second-largest unmanned reconnaissance aircraft after the Heron TP, also known as Eitan, developed by the "Israel" Aerospace Industries.
