Switzerland choses Hermes UAV to upgrade fleet

Switzerland has chosen Elbit's Hermes 900 HFE as its new UAV. It will replace the ADS 95 Ranger, which the Swiss have operated since 2001.
The Hermes will be "more flexible, has longer endurance in the air and a wider operational range than the system currently in use," according to a Swiss Federal Department of Defense announcement.
Elbit's Hermes was selected over the Israel Aerospace Industries Super Heron.
The changeover will be complete by 2020. The Swiss government announcement was careful to note that the new UAV will be unarmed.
c4isrnet

IAI to unveil Super Heron HF

Israel Aerospace Industries will formally unveil the latest version of its Heron unmanned air vehicle at the Singapore air show on 11 February. Named the Super Heron HF, this differs from earlier examples of the medium-altitude, long-endurance type through the integration of a heavy-fuel engine.
The engine enhancement, which has required the company to slightly redesign the aircraft’s rear fuselage, has been made to meet demand from operators to reduce their reliance on using traditional aviation gasoline to power UAVs. The new version is also equipped with winglets to boost performance.
First flight trials of an aircraft in the new configuration were performed in Israel late last year.
flightglobal