Elbit Systems Hermes 650 Spark

History

The Elbit Systems Hermes 650 Spark is an Israeli medium-altitude, long-endurance unmanned aircraft. It is designed for intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, target acquisition and other missions over land and sea.

The aircraft combines a maximum takeoff weight of 650 kg with an endurance of up to 24 hours. Its short-runway capability, satellite communications and modular payload arrangement support deployment from conventional airfields and proposed maritime bases.

In 2026, Elbit Systems presented a concept for operating groups of Hermes 650 Spark aircraft from converted commercial ships. The proposed vessels would function as remote launch-and-recovery sites rather than conventional aircraft carriers.

Development and first flight

Elbit Systems developed the Hermes 650 Spark as the successor to the Hermes 450. The design uses a front-mounted tractor engine instead of the rear-mounted pusher arrangement associated with earlier Hermes aircraft. The company intended the new configuration to provide a wider speed range, additional power for payloads and better short-runway performance.

The Hermes 650 Spark completed its first flight at the end of 2023. Elbit publicly unveiled it at the Singapore Airshow on 21 February 2024. At that presentation, the company said that an unnamed customer had already selected the aircraft and that full serial-production readiness was planned for 2025. These development details were reported by Australian Defence Magazine.

Maritime carrier proposal

In July 2026, Elbit Systems disclosed a proposal to convert commercial ships into mobile bases for Hermes 650 Spark aircraft. Each vessel was envisaged to carry approximately nine to 12 aircraft, together with deck infrastructure, control equipment and mission-support facilities.

The ships would act as launch-and-recovery platforms, while a land-based station compatible with both the Hermes 650 Spark and the larger Hermes 900 would control operations. Elbit presented this common control arrangement as a way to reduce the number of operators and control stations required.

The proposed role emphasizes persistent surveillance and target acquisition beyond the range of shipboard sensors. Elbit identified the extensive maritime areas associated with Japan, Greenland and the Baltic Sea as examples of possible applications. Offshore infrastructure could also be monitored by aircraft operating from a converted vessel.

The concept remained unproven when disclosed. No conversion partner, customer, contract, test program or operational date was announced. Launch and recovery distances at sea, acceptable sea states and the selected recovery equipment were also undisclosed. Analyses by Autonomy Global, Army Recognition and Maritime Scrimes identified deck motion, turbulence, corrosion protection and shipboard recovery as important engineering issues.

Design

Airframe and propulsion

The Hermes 650 Spark is a fixed-wing aircraft powered by a 120 hp fuel-burning engine driving a front-mounted propeller. This tractor configuration contributes to a stated operating-speed range of 55 to 120 knots. The aircraft is intended to take off from a runway shorter than 200 m under land-based conditions. A maximum landing distance of 800 m has also been reported.

The design supports automatic taxiing, takeoff and landing. It also includes automated pre-flight inspections, diagnostic functions and predictive-maintenance features intended to reduce the technical crew and equipment needed between missions. The aircraft is described as compliant with NATO STANAG 4671 airworthiness requirements.

Payload system

The aircraft has eight modular payload stations: two bays inside the fuselage and six external attachment points beneath the wings. The useful load is stated as 260 kg, but this figure includes fuel. With the full fuel load of 140 kg, approximately 120 kg remains available for mission equipment.

The forward internal bay can accept up to 70 kg and the rear bay up to 100 kg. Reported payload options include electro-optical and infrared sensors, short-wave infrared cameras, maritime-surveillance radar, signals-intelligence equipment, electronic-intelligence receivers, the SkEye wide-area surveillance system and air-droppable life rafts.

The external attachment points provide physical capacity for additional equipment, but no weapon has been publicly identified as qualified for the Hermes 650 Spark. Elbit had not announced weapon-release testing or an operational armed configuration in the available material.

Communications and control

The Hermes 650 Spark has a stated line-of-sight communications radius of 300 km. Satellite communications support missions beyond that distance. Compatibility with Hermes 900 ground-control infrastructure allows the two aircraft types to be managed within a combined system.

A technical overview published by Airforce Technology also describes rapid deployment, automated inspections and minimal ground-support requirements as central elements of the design.

Program status

The Hermes 650 Spark had flown and was publicly displayed by 2024. Elbit reported an unnamed initial customer, but the available sources do not identify an operator, delivered quantity or confirmed entry into operational service.

The commercial-ship drone-base proposal was still at the concept stage in 2026. Shipboard recovery, sortie generation, secure communications under electronic attack, maintenance requirements and conversion costs would require testing before the concept could become an operational naval system.

Specifications (Hermes 650 Spark)

General characteristics

• Type: Medium-altitude, long-endurance unmanned aircraft system
• Manufacturer: Elbit Systems
• Maximum takeoff weight: 650 kg
• Useful load including fuel: 260 kg
• Maximum fuel load: 140 kg
• Mission equipment allowance with full fuel: Approximately 120 kg
• Powerplant: One 120 hp fuel-burning engine
• Payload stations: Two internal bays and six underwing attachment points

Performance

• Maximum endurance: Up to 24 hours
• Service ceiling: 6,700 m (22,000 ft)
• Speed range: 102–222 km/h (55–120 knots)
• Line-of-sight communications radius: 300 km
• Land-based takeoff distance: Less than 200 m
• Maximum reported landing distance: 800 m

Mission equipment

• Sensors: Electro-optical, infrared and short-wave infrared systems
• Radar: Maritime-surveillance radar
• Electronic systems: Signals-intelligence and electronic-intelligence payloads
• Communications: Line-of-sight data link and satellite communications