THE AIRFORCE - AIRCRAFT - SEEKER 400
Aircraft Stats:
Seeker 400
The Seeker 400 is an Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) manufactured by Denel Dynamics for real-time day/night aerial surveillance and reconnaissance, offering enhanced situational awareness capabilities and other improvements over the Seeker 2.
It can provide real-time day and night reconnaissance; target location, surveillance and designation; Artillery fire support; Electronic Intelligence (ELINT) and Electronic Support Measures (ESM) and conduct Border and Maritime patrol missions. he Seeker 400 System operates at direct line-of-sight (LOS) ranges of up to 250 km from the base station.
New additions include the capability of carrying weapons such as the laser guided missile with a missile stand-off range of 10 km. It can also operate up to 16 hours with a maximum of 100 kg of multi-mission payloads. It also features dual uplinks and downlinks, Brake assisted ground operation, piloted and autonomous flight capability, VHF and UHF FM tactical radios and Mode S Transponder and VHF AM Air Traffic Control (ATC) radio for ATC interfacing. The mission control units remain relatively the same as the Seeker 2's with modular hardware and software.
The system includes the capability of carrying dual imaging payloads with the images being transmitted to the ground control station via the dual video downlinks. Electro-optical sensor payloads with diameters of up to 530 mm can be integrate for use. This typically includes the following sensor combinations on a gimbal:
- A colour daylight camera with zoom lens
- Infrared thermal imager with different fields of view
- A day colour or monochrome spotter camera
- Night spotter camera
- Laser rangefinder
- Laser designator
- An Electronic Surveillance Payload (ESP) for electronic signals intelligence (ELINT)/ESM missions is available for detection and location of radar emitters. System Features
- Direct 250 km LOS control range with >10h over target
- Range extension up to 700 km with passing control of UAV via the secondary MCU and TCU
- Up to 16 h endurance
- Up to 18 000 ft service ceiling
- 100 kg payload capability (excluding fuel but including optional emergency parachute)
- Dual links allow dual mission payloads
- Brake-assisted ground operation/taxing • Piloted and autonomous flight capability
- Observer and autonomous payload control capability
- VHF and UHF FM Tactical Communications Radios Mode S Transponder and VHF AM radio for ATC interfacing. An IFF Transponder can be provided as alternative.
- MCU and TCU can also be supplied as a combined single shelter or housed in a building.
- System is air transportable in a single IL-76 or two C-130 aircraft.
- ATOL capability or external piloted take-off and landing.
It was reported in 2015 that the Seeker 400 was in production for a "local client."It has not been confirmed that the Seeker 400 is actually operated by the SAAF.
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