UAV for Romania

Thanks for the link. The pictures speak volumes. They basically just bought a bunch of components "off the shelf" to give them the capability they needed.

UAVs are no longer "rocket science" and restricted to the wealthy and large "superpower" nations. However, most superpowers' militaries' are too large and bloated to use UAVs creatively.

A relatively small nation like Romania could accomplish a lot using this technology.

MQ-9 Reaper Hunter/Killer UAV

http://www.defense-update.com/products/p/predatorB.htm

I would be very interested to learn about any older UAV or Pilotless aircraft used either for targettraining/gunnery or recce (cercetare) in the past especially 1970-1990 periode? As some other WP or Eastern block countries operated them, like GDR, CSSR, USSR.
Which did Romania use before and what and where were the units?
Tu 123 jastreb, Tu141 Strizj, Tu143 Reis, M-143, La17? Or homebuild drones?
Soviets had also L29 rebuild as M-29 ans M-29M targets, did such projects exist in cold war Romania?

Jeroen

This post has been edited by Jeroen on April 13, 2009 12:22 pm

Also of interest are smaller UAV operated by NATO SF in Afhanistan. Do Romanian SF operate them there, or elsewhere? From Bagram, Kandahar or in Zabol povince?

As far as I know, the only drone operated during WP times was the Tu-143 Reis, called VR-3 in Romania. Probably 12 were aquired around 1983 and based at Mihail Kogalniceanu, operated by the 143rd Pilotless Recon Squadron. They were both the TV and photo recon versions. One of them, serial 6223, was in static display at ROIAS 2001. They were retired from service shortly after and recently scrapped. Reportedly only two were left, one is displayed in the Aviation Museum from Bucharest, serial 8201. Pictures here:
http://romanian-spotters.forumer.ro/aerona...3-reys-t912.htm

As for current UAV ops, a number of AAI Corp Shadow 600 are operated at an airfield in eastern Iraq in support of coalition forces since summer 2003. They fly for DGIA (Directia Generala de Informatii a Apararii in Eng. General Direction for Informations of the Defence). There was an article about that in an issue of "Observatorul Militar" magazine from 2004.



This post has been edited by Vici on April 18, 2009 10:26 am

Thanks Vici!

I still wonder what UAV were flying around in december 1989, if any at all, still not convinced that any VR-3 were launched then by that unit from MeKa.
So what other possibilities were there?

Jeroen

Currently the ACTTM is experimenting with a Romanian built prototype: UAV-SACT Boreal. It's a small UAV for close range recon.

Where? Do you have any information regarding it (price, range, size etc.)?

See the Observatorul Militar issue 2/2009, page 7:
http://www.presamil.ro/OM/2009/03/Binder1.pdf

It is a light-weight system carried by two soldiers in their back-packs. It has limited range (30 minutes of battery life) and it's destined to be used for close-range recon.

The aerial image shown on page 7 seems to be shot while flying 500 meters above Craiova airbase, is it being test flown there?

It doesn't say in the text.

Just some info other countries along Romania fly currently in Afghanistan

US and British fly Predators, Reapers and a number of other small UAV, for example Boeing Scan Eagle.
British fly also Thales/Elbit Hermes 450 also.
Canada started earlier this year a two year lease for Israeli Heron (Kandahar), flies/flew Sparrowhawk also.
Dutch flew Aladin, to be replaced by Raven this year, Sparrowhawk In afghanistan replaced by leased Israeli/British Aeronautics Aerostar UAV.
German (last week) anounced to lease Heron also, along Luna and Aladin
French flew/fly Sagem Sparrowhawk, also SIDM enhanced Heron from Bagram
Poles Aeronautics Orbiter.
Elbit Skylark 1 popular with different ISAF countries.
Italy ordered two systems of Reaper.

(see also Defense Update Online Magazine)

Buying UAVs has been included in this year's defense budget, however no details on their type:

http://www.nineoclock.ro/archive_index.php...20100105-511551

From Radu Tudor's article from Jurnalul National, via Resboiu: http://resboiu.wordpress.com/2010/01/07/cu-si-fara-pilot/Resboiu