Egyptian
UAVs
After monitoring the IAF
performance during the 1982 "Operation Peace for Galilee" the EAF’s
experts noticed the importance of electronic warfare and the Unmanned Aerial
Vehicles (UAV) in the war and therefore they began a large program to introduce
the EAF to advanced electronic warfare technologies.
The beginning was marked by
the purchase of 2 specially modified C-130 for intelligence gathering missions.
They were designated as EC-130. The second step was the introduction of UAVs
and so the Egyptian Air Force requirements were set. In response the Teledyne
Ryan's Model 324 Scarab was custom-designed to meet them. The Model 324 is a
versatile; easy to operate reconnaissance UAV that has a cruise range of 1,400
miles and with a speed of Mach 0.8. The wings are low-mounted, swept-back, and
tapered. The turbojet engine is hidden in the aft belly compartment until
launch. The fuselage is flat-bottomed with a pointed nose and hump on aft top
of craft. Two swept-back and tapered fins are mounted on unequally tapered
flats.
Egypt also uses 48 R4E-50 Skyeye mini-UAVs and is Locally Developing an unmanned air vehicle. The EAF use UAVs for different missions including reconnaissance, border mentoring and electronic warfare. Some reports talks about a project to lunch a multipurpose satellite by the end of 2004.
Teledyne
Ryan's Model 324 Scarab performances:
Length: 20.17 feet
Wingspan: 10.95
feet
Height: 2.83 feet
Speed (MAX): 0.85
mach
MAX altitude: 43.000
feet
Cruise range: 1.380 miles
Number in service:
52
