Elbit Hermes 900
Strategic successor to the Hermes 450: multi-role MALE with 36 h endurance, 350 kg payload and certification to operate in civil airspace (Frontex).
Elbit Hermes 900
Strategic successor to the Hermes 450: multi-role MALE with 36 h endurance, 350 kg payload and certification to operate in civil airspace (Frontex).
Community
Data trust
- Reliability
- Unverified
- Sources
- Sources pending review
Identity
- Designation
- Elbit Hermes 900
- Alias
- Kochav
- Manufacturer
- Elbit Systems
- Country
- Israel
- Year
- 2012
- Category
- UCAV (Combat UAV)
- Class
- MALE (Medium-altitude / long-endurance)
- Status
- In service
Performance
- Range
- 1000 km
- Endurance
- 36 h
- Top speed
- 220 km/h
- Service ceiling
- 9,100 m
- Propulsion
- Rotax 914 turbo, 115 hp, elica spintore
Physical characteristics
- MTOW
- 1180 kg
- Payload
- 350 kg
- Hardpoints
- 4
- Weapons
- Configurazioni armate (bombe a guida laser, missili leggeri) per operatori selezionati
Onboard systems
- Sensors
- EO/IR DCoMPASS multi-sensore, SAR/GMTI, ELINT/COMINT, radar marittimo
- Datalink / control
- LOS + SATCOM BLOS
- Launch
- Pista (decollo autonomo)
- Recovery
- Pista (atterraggio autonomo)
Combat use
- ▸Operation Protective Edge 2014
- ▸Gaza operations 2023-2024
- ▸Frontex maritime surveillance
Tags
Main operators
History
Unveiled in 2012, the Hermes 900 first saw combat with the IDF during Operation Protective Edge in Gaza (2014).
Selected by Frontex for Mediterranean maritime surveillance, it was the first military UAV to operate regularly in European civil airspace.
The Elbit Hermes 900 Kochav was developed as the strategic successor of the Hermes 450, while keeping the same ground control station to ease crew transition: an industrial decision that drastically reduced training time.
In 2018 the Swiss Army selected the Hermes 900 (designated ADS-15) as its new national UAV system, replacing the older RUAG Rangers and becoming the first Alpine country to operate a MALE drone in European civil airspace.
During the Israel-Hamas war that started in 2023, the Hermes 900 was used intensively over Gaza for reconnaissance, target designation and precision strikes, with on-station times exceeding 30 consecutive hours.