Background: The IAI/Malat-built, TRW-assembled RQ-5/Hunter (formerly BQM-155) won the U.S. Army's Short Range UAV competition in 1988 and first flew in Mart 91. Following three crashes in close succession in Aug-Sep 95, full rate production was canceled. The follow-on quality control improvements made Hunter a model of reliability. Seven systems of eight aircraft each were delivered; a total of 75 were built. Hunter has launched from (RATO) and landed on the deck of an amphibious assault ship. Today, one system is deployed at Ft Hood, TX, for concept development, one at Ft Huachuca, AZ, for training, and a third to the Joint ReadinessTraining Center at Ft Polk, LA; the rest are in storage. Hunter is also operated by Israel, Belgium, and France (demo only). Hunter can be converted to Endurance Hunter (E-Hunter) in 3 hours by adding wing extensions.

Background: General Atomics' RQ-1A/Predator® first flew in Jun 94, 9 months after approval as DARPA's Medium Altitude Endurance (MAE, or Tier 2) UAV ACTD (Oct 94) and 6 months after contract award (Jan 94). Its design evolved from the earlier Amber and Gnat 750 UAVs. Deployed overseas during its ACTD, it flew reconnaissance missions over Bosnia for Operations Provide Promise (Jul-Nov 95), then later for Joint Endeavor (Mar 96-Dec 97), and Deliberate Guard (Mar 98-present) and had accumulated 10,400 hrs by Nov 98. The U.S. Air Force has contracted for 12 systems (four aircraft each) and has formed two Predator units, the 11th and the 15th Reconnaissance Squadrons, based at Indian Springs AAF, NV. France also operates Predators as the Horus UAV. Maritime and comm relay variants have also been explored.

Background: The CL-289 was developed in mid 1970s as a German, Canadian and Franch programme. The system has been operational with German and French Armies since 1990 and 1992, respectively. The CL-289 is produced by company Canadair in Quebec with Dornier providing the systems integration for the German Army system and Aerospatiale having responsibility for the French Army system. The two main sensors on the CL-289 are a Zeis-Eltro Optronic optical camera for day-time missions and a SAGEM Corsaire infra-red linscan system with real time video data transmision for day and night time reconnaissance. Optical and infra-red systems provide limited capability under adverse weather conditions unlike the synthetic apeture radar system which is based on available and space technoilogies.

Background: Bombardier began limited production of the CL-327 Guardian VTOL UAV in 1996, with four manufactured to date. It features dual, coaxial, contra-rotating, three bladed rotors. Its design is an evolution of the CL-227 Sentinel, and a follow-on concept, the CL-427 Puma (see separate entry), has been proposed. Sentinel made its first flight (tethered) on 25 Aug 78; twenty were produced. Bombardier is the world's third largest supplier of commercial airliners, and has been making UAVs since 1959, producing some 500 CL-89 and 200 CL-289 UAVs for the British, French, German, and Italian armies since 1972. Guardian was one of three VTOL UAVs selected by the Navy for its VTOL UAV demonstration (6 Mar-11 Jun 98) at Yuma, AZ, completing over 58 hours during it. Data is for the CL-327 Guardian.