New Drone Earns Its Wings in Kosovo

ILA 2000: The German LUNA X-2000 tactical recon- naissance UAV developed by EMT of Germany is appearing at ILA with full battle honors after making more than 20 successful flights in its first month of service in Kosovo.

Two years ago the drone became the first demonstrated live at a major European air show when a prototype flew before the crowds at ILA. But this year it is staying firmly on the ground, relying instead on its 150-plus successful flights to date and record in Kosovo as proof that it works.

EMT (here in Hall7) also makes aerial tow targets and hit indicators. It developed the LUNA X in a 40-drone program over the last two years, culminating in the sale of two $1 million systems to the German army, each system comprising two UAVs, a bungee launch catapult and a ground station. "The basis for this high priority procurement was the decision of the Army to make this UAV system available to the reconnaissance forces in Kosovo as quickly as possible," a company spokesman told Show News. Other countries are also in negotiations for the LUNA X, he said.

EMT claims the LUNA X's reliability has made it the only drone in service in Germany with Category II certification, which allows it to fly outside special military airspace over sparsely populated areas.

The basic parachute-recovered drone provides real-time day and night reconnaissance and surveillance with a data-link range of 65 km and an endurance of up to four hours. Its modular payload concept will permit quick field replacement with other payloads; under development are packages including electro-optical sensors for detection of mines, and a weather package that will allow deployment of wind-measuring sondes at different altitudes so that artillery can more accurately plan targeting trajectories.

Ongoing studies include both larger and smaller versions of the LUNA X, and incorporation of a miniature synthetic aperture radar to bestow all-weather reconnaissance capability.

The EMT spokesman said the drone proved very useful in Kosovo, returning images of "superior quality." A second unit is now operating LUNA X there.

©Show News 2000