Daher unveiled a new configuration of its TBM 910 and TBM 930 turboprop singles aimed at the intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) market. Announced this week during the international defense and security show Eurosatory 2018, the ISR-configured TBMs will be fitted with underwing hardpoints and electrical connections to accommodate sensors and large-format cameras.

Daher sees a range of applications for the ISR configuration, from defense, security, and medical evacuation to transport missions. The aircraft can provide more than six hours of surveillance capability and can be reconfigured rapidly for various duties, the French airframer said. Daher is further pointing to the aircraft’s ability to operate from 2,455-foot runways and its speed capabilities, compared with other ISR options.

“The new TBM ISR version brings a fast, all-weather airborne platform to the market for surveillance operations and aerial photography, with a very competitive cost-performance ratio compared to existing solutions,” said Nicolas Chabbert, director of the Daher Airplane Business Unit. “As a result, we are now offering the TBM ISR as an alternative—or complement—to medium-altitude, long-endurance unmanned aerial vehicles and to heavier aircraft in a platform that is rapid and efficient to deploy, with limited logistics requirements.”

Daher validated the handling qualities and flight-envelope performance of an ISR-equipped TBM, including the use of a 110-pound (50-kg) ultra-high-definition camera for photo trials. The TBM 910/TBM 930 ISR variants also can be used for surveillance with a multi-sensor optronic retractable turret, synthetic aperture radar/ground moving target indicator radar (SAR/GMTI), communication interception system, and secure transmission means, Daher said. The aircraft can be equipped with a quick-change console mounted behind the pilot for various missions and tactical situation monitoring.