Hermes 650 Spark: new tactical UAS from Elbit Systems

The Hermes 650 is the latest addition to the Hermes family. The new UAS expands the operational flight envelope with next-generation multi-mission capability, versatility, and survivability. The company says that the tactical UAS with Medium Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) capabilities delivers exceptional payload capacity with increased range, flight speed, endurance, and operational efficiency.

Elbit describes the Hermes 650 as a “next-generation,” autonomous, and digital UAS designed to meet diverse operational needs across Air, Land, Sea, Homeland Security (HLS), and civilian applications.

The company states that its high payload capacity, facilitated by exceptionally large payload bays, allows the Hermes 650 Spark to carry multiple payload configurations without compromising flight endurance.

The comprehensive design considerations focus on minimizing the Life Cycle Cost (LCC), ensuring cost-effective mission execution. The UAS upholds the highest standards of safety, survivability, and immunity, complemented by modern, autonomous, and predictive maintenance practices, ultimately contributing to a low Life Cycle Cost.

According to Elbit, the Hermes 650 Spark tactical UAS is engineered for versatility and reliability; it excels in medium altitude long endurance aerial missions, thanks to features like automatic takeoff and landing (ATOL) and auto-taxi capability from short runways.

Elbit notes that with a remarkable useful load of 260kg, the UAS boasts eight modular storage stations, accommodating large payload bays in the fuselage and six hard points on the wings. This allows it to carry payloads up to 120kg on full fuel capacity without compromising flight endurance.

The system’s multi-payload capability integrates high-quality electro-optics (EO), radar, SIGINT, and other advanced functionalities simultaneously. It has the ability to execute long missions within SATCOM range and has an extended endurance lasting up to 24 hours.