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New Delhi. Another big step has been added to India’s defense preparedness. According to the report, India has accelerated the procurement process of Israel’s state-of-the-art Heron MK-2 drone. This decision will not only further strengthen India’s surveillance capability, but is also going to raise concerns of neighboring countries, especially Pakistan.

Talks also started on construction in India

According to the information received from the Israeli defense industry, India will not be limited to only purchasing drones, but discussions are also moving forward on manufacturing them in the country. If this process is completed, it will open a huge path for technology transfer and ‘Make in India’ will register a historic achievement in the defense sector.

Procurement started from 2021, now order extended

India started purchasing Heron MK-2 during the standoff with China in 2021. At that time, two drones each for the Army and Air Force were immediately ordered under emergency powers. Now as the requirement has increased, the order for these drones has been further increased. Sources reveal that India now not only wants to buy, but is also taking steps towards manufacturing these drones in India through HAL and ELTA/Elcom partnership.

Heron MK-2: long distance and high altitude flyer

The Heron MK-2 is a MALE (Medium Altitude Long Endurance) UAV developed by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI). This drone is counted among the world’s most reliable and powerful surveillance platforms in its category.

Its main features:

Maximum load capacity: 1,430 kg

Flying altitude: 35,000 feet

Flying time: 45 hours continuously

Maximum speed: 150 knots

Highly capable of surveillance, border monitoring and real-time intelligence

Due to these capabilities, this drone can keep an eye on enemy activities from a distance and can remain deployed on missions for a long time.