India introduced Heron Mark-2 drones in IAF

Heron Mark-2 drones The Government of India had inducted Heron Mark-2 drones in IAF for the purpose of surveillance along the borders with both China and Pakistan. These 4 drones equipped with long-range missiles and other weapons systems, have been deployed at a forward air base in the northern sector, where it is used for intelligence gathering, border patrol, and counter-insurgency operations.

Heron Mark-2 drones in IAF

All about Heron Mark-2

PLANE NAME	Heron Mark-2
UAV Model	Heron MK II
Type	Medium Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) UAV
Engine	Rotax 916 iS
Maximum Altitude	35,000 feet
Maximum Speed	150 knots
Endurance (Flight Time)	45 consecutive hours
Body Structure	Wider, stronger for easy maintenance
Payloads	Various payloads like Sensors, Radars, etc.
Special Configurations	ELINT, COMINT, ESM, Communication Relay, etc.
Standoff Capability	Gather intelligence from distance, no crossing borders

Heron Mark-2 is a updated version of the Heron Mark-1 which was serving at IAF since 2009 is a longer range and endurance, and is equipped with more advanced sensors. It had a medium-altitude long-endurance (MALE) drone, with a maximum range of 3,000 kilometres and an endurance of 24 hours, equipped with a variety of sensors, including a synthetic aperture radar (SAR), an electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) camera, and a laser designator. The SAR can be used to image targets in all weather conditions, day or night, while the EO/IR camera can be used for target identification and tracking. The laser designator is used to locate targets for precision strikes.

What is the range of the Heron Mark-2 drone?

The range of Heron Mark-2 is 250 km (160 mi) line-of-sight and 1,000 km (620 mi)

What is the cost of an IAI Heron drone?

India is going to pay $400 million for the drone.