Germany on Tuesday announced that it has extended its agreements with Israel Aerospace Industries for the use of its Heron 1 reconnaissance drones in German military missions in Afghanistan and Mali for another year.
According to an IAI statement, the contract includes the supply of assets and manpower to support Heron 1 systems in the two nations where it is deployed.
The systems are operated by Airbus subsidiary DS Airborne Solutions GmbH.
The Heron has the ability to stay airborne for up to 45 hours. It has a maximum takeoff weight of 1,270 kilograms (about 2,800 pounds) and a payload of 250 kilograms (550 pounds).
The German Air Force has been operating the Herons in Afghanistan since 2010, where they were involved in thousands of missions, IAI said. In Mali, the system is stationed at the Gao Air Base as part of the U.N.'s Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission.
According to a statement by IAI, forces in Afghanistan and in Mali have logged more than 38,000 flight hours since 2016.
DS Airborne Solutions said the Heron drone "has proven itself with a system readiness level greater than 95%."
Shaul Shachar, IAI's corporate vice president and general manager, said that "the extension of the contracts in Mali and Afghanistan is a confirmation of Heron's proven ability to support missions around the world."
