Finland picks Israeli UAV

• Tweet

QADIMA, Israel, May 4 (UPI) -- The medium-weight version of Israel's Orbiter-2 mini-UAV system has been selected by Finland to support its tactical ground forces.

Defense Update, an Israeli defense industry publication, reported that Finland is acquiring 55 unmanned aerial vehicles from Aeronautics Defense Systems at an expected purchase price of about $30.2 million.

The Orbiter-2 is electric powered, has a flight endurance of about 4 hours, a range of almost 50 miles and a maximum ceiling of 18,000 feet.

The company Controp, a joint venture between Aeronautics Defense and Rafael, supplies the aircraft's electro-optical sensor payload, which comes in daylight, thermal or thermal zoom variants.

In addition to the medium-sized Orbiter, the company offers a larger model of the aircraft. That version has a flight endurance of as much as 7 hours and carries a larger payload.

Aeronautics Defense says its Orbiter is used by Serbia, Mexico, Poland, Israel, Ireland and Azerbaijan.