Leonardo, the Italian-headquartered global defense and security company, is presenting at UMEX (Abu Dhabi, 21-23 February) its full offering of unmanned solutions for civil and military applications while also ensuring the security of the airspace.
Leonardo is a member of leading unmanned programs such as the Eurodrone and boasts a wide portfolio of technological solutions including fixed-wing and rotary-wing platforms, sensors, mission and ground control systems, drone navigation and traffic management, training services, and Counter-Unmanned Aerial Systems.
“The UAE is a nation that seeks to innovate in all that it does. This is why Leonardo continues to support, through its latest technological solutions, its daily in-field operation including security management, air transport, and naval platforms. The unmanned sector, where Leonardo’s platforms are operationally proven, may also pave the way for new opportunities of mutual collaboration,” explained Vincenzo Romano, Leonardo’s General Manager in the UAE.
“Leonardo has a branch in Abu Dhabi and from the ‘70s provided high-tech platforms to the UAE armed forces, institution and local partners, including more than 100 helicopters, naval systems, secure communications applications, space technologies and training aircraft, with the Aermacchi MB-339 chose for Emirati national aerobatic team Al Fursan,” Romano added.
During the show, Leonardo is promoting its Rotary Unmanned Air System (RUAS) AWHERO (photo), a dual-use platform that can perform civil and military missions over land and sea. Last October this platform received basic military certification from Italy’s DAAA (Direzione degli Armamenti Aeronautici e per l’Aeronavigabilità), the Directorate for Air Armaments and Airworthiness, marking the world’s first military certification for a RUAS in the 200 kg class. On board of AWHERO, Leonardo is progressing in the integration and testing of mission equipment and sensors.
The AWHERO can integrate advanced sensors and suites such as the Gabbiano Ultra-Light (UL) radar, also on display at Leonardo’s stand. Gabbiano UL is affordable, compact, and lightweight, making it ideally suited to small unmanned as well as manned fixed and rotary-winged aircraft.
The Gabbiano Ultra-Light TS-20 and the Gabbiano Ultra-Light TS-80 come equipped with the full Gabbiano family mode suite, which has been continuously expanded over more than 10 years.
As part of its advanced airborne offerings, Leonardo is also promoting Osprey, the first truly multi-domain AESA surveillance radar. It is currently in use by 12 international operators for a range of missions spanning from defense, security and civil protection, to environmental monitoring and search and rescue. The radar is currently available in two variants: the compact Osprey 30 and the larger, more powerful Osprey 50.
Leonardo is also exhibiting its Mirach 40 (M-40), which supports armed forces training, being able to convincingly mimic a variety of aircraft and missiles, also simulating radar, infrared (IR) and visual threats.
This allows Armed Forces to ‘shoot down’ the reusable M-40 in realistic scenarios. Developed in-house by Leonardo using commercial components, the M-40 is readily exportable. M-40 is part of the company’s successful Mirach family of target drones, also including the M-100/5 V2, which has recently been selected in an international competition, while sixteen armed forces including those of Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, and the UK already have trained with the M-100/5.
Leonardo, a global high-technology company, is among the top world players in Aerospace, Defense and Security and Italy’s main industrial company. Organized into five business divisions, Leonardo has a significant industrial presence in Italy, the United Kingdom, Poland and the USA, where it also operates through subsidiaries that include Leonardo DRS (defense electronics), and joint ventures and partnerships: ATR, MBDA, Telespazio, Thales Alenia Space and Avio.
Leonardo competes in the most important international markets by leveraging its areas of technological and product leadership (Helicopters, Aircraft, Aerostructures, Electronics, Cyber Security and Space).
In 2020 Leonardo recorded consolidated revenues of €13.4 billion and invested €1.6 billion in Research and Development.
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