SAGEM Sperwer (Sparrowhawk)

History

Modern warfare in Afghanistan and Iraq has brought unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to the forefront of military operations. This has led many companies to plunge into competitive military and civilian contracts, such as the French-born SAGEM Sperwer (Sparrowhawk) product launched in 2002. The air system was developed specifically as a remote-controlled reconnaissance platform to store inventories in several countries around the world - Canada (like the CU-161), Denmark, France, Greece, the Netherlands, Sweden (like the UAV01 "Owl") and the United States ( Air National Guard).

Canada, Denmark, the Netherlands and Sweden have all stopped holding Sperwer.

The

Sperwer lacks the sleek looks of other modern drones, but its single-minded mission requires only a basic design. The hull has a rectangular list, a rounded nose section and a square tail section. Above the tail are vertical fins that slope outward. The main aircraft is mounted low along the rear side of the fuselage, with the front canards located behind the nose assembly.

The engine is housed in a compartment in the rear of the fuselage and drives a four-bladed propeller in a "thrust" arrangement. Startup takes place via the start track. Appropriate mission equipment and optics remain in the hull.

The French Army continued to support Sperwer operations with a limited fleet.

Specification

Basic

Production

Roles

Dimensions

Weight

Performance

Performance

Armor

Changes