Aircraft
Thailand Introduces Elbit’s Hermes 450 UAS
But the Israeli company faces export competition from the British Watchkeeper development of the H450.
The British Army operated H450 UAVs supplied by Elbit Systems, before it received the Watchkeeper version developed by Thales. (Photo: UK Crown)
The British Army operated H450 UAVs supplied by Elbit Systems, before it received the Watchkeeper version developed by Thales. (Photo: UK Crown)

The Royal Thai Army (RTA) has introduced the Elbit Hermes 450 unmanned aerial system (UAS), becoming the second Southeast Asian country after Singapore to operate this drone. Elbit Systems says that the H450 has now performed “40,000 successful combat missions,” but like other Israeli companies, it does not specify customers. Meanwhile, Thales UK is separately marketing for export the Watchkeeper UAS that it developed from the H450 for the British Army, in cooperation with Elbit.