Spain to buy new surveillance drones

The Council of Ministers of the Government of Spain has authorised the Ministry of Defence to enter into a contract for the acquisition of the high-performance tactical remotely manned aerial system (RPAS) (SIRTAP) from the company Airbus Defence & Space, for an estimated value of 595 million euro.

The contract includes, along with the supply of 9 complete systems and 2 simulators with instruction and training capacity, initial logistical support.

The acquisition of this system will replace the current drones that are at the end of their operational life, improving and enhancing the capabilities of the Army and the Air and Space Force.

As reported by Airbus on its website, SIRTAP is part of the high-end tactical UAS. Its dual applications will offer a wide range of missions tailored to the operational needs of clients in both the institutional and government markets. Designed to fly in the harshest environmental and operational conditions, the UAS will be certified to fly in segregated airspace and conduct civil operations, all possible on the same platform.

SIRTAP will work in any weather condition, thanks to a high temperature amplitude and ice protection system, it can operate between -40⁰C and +50⁰C. With more than 20 hours of autonomy and flying at an altitude of 21,000 feet, the tactical UAS is suitable for day/night and maritime Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) missions, providing rapid response for inspection of nearby targets.

The wings and rotor of the SIRTAP can be easily removed to allow transport in standard containers both on the ground and by air on a transport aircraft such as the C295, which can carry two SIRTAPs in a single flight.

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