Leonardo Delivers More Falco UAVs To The Middle East

The EVO version has a larger payload and extended range.

The Falco EVO was exhibited at the Dubai Airshow with Leonardo’s own Gabbiano surveillance radar. (Photo: Chris Pocock)

By Chris Pocock • Defense Correspondent

January 11, 2018

Leonardo has delivered the first Falco EVO system to one of two customers in the Middle East/Gulf for the larger version of the surveillance UAS. The Falco EVO first flew in 2012, and offers a 120-kg payload that can be flown for more than 22 hours, compared with 70 kg and 14 hours for the original Falco. The two customers for the Evo are probably Jordan and Saudi Arabia, both of which bought the earlier model.

The delivery was made last September but not announced until the Dubai Airshow in November, where Leonardo exhibited a Falco EVO equipped with the company’s own Gabbiano lightweight multimode radar. This is offered as an alternative to the PicoSAR/GMTI radar, also made in-house by Leonardo, which says it is “the only company in Europe able to offer a complete end-to-end RPAS system including sensors, mission management system, and ground control station.” The Leonardo Sage ESM/ELINT sensor and LEOSS EO/IR sensor turret are also offered, although the aircraft exhibited in Dubai was carrying an L-3 Wescam MX-8 system.

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