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The Bangkok Ministry of Defense has confirmed the Thai Navy’s recommendation to opt forHermes 900 Of Elbit as its new patrol UAV. The signing of the deal is expected in a month.
The Navy will pay about $ 120 million for seven UAVs, which will also be used for search and rescue missions. Elbit has already sold to the Philippines a UAV version carrying inflatable lifeboats that can be dropped off when needed. The Hermes 900 can stay in the air for 36 hours in a row, carrying a cargo weighing 300 kg.
Elbit defeated IAI’s Heron-2 UAV in the competition, and UAVs from China and the United States. According to reports in Thailand, in the deal budget, IAI offered only five tools, two less than Elbit.
The Thai military is already operating four Hermes 450 drones, smaller than 900.
About a month ago Crashed One of the nine Hermes 900 UAVs the Philippines purchased in 2017, but the accident did not change the Thalines’ decision.