Portuguese technology company Tekever is to supply AR5 drones to the Portuguese Air Force (FAP) for maritime surveillance missions. The autonomous platforms are scheduled for delivery in early September, Euronews reported.
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In a statement, the company, which has become an important player in the unmanned systems industry, especially when it comes to exporting drones to Ukraine, announced the signing of a contract with the FAP that also includes “operator training, as well as the supply of the Ground Control Station and the ATLAS mission system”.
With a wingspan of almost 8 metres and weighing close to 200 kilos, purpose-built for maritime missions thanks to its robustness and ability to fly at higher altitudes, the AR5 will enable the FAP “to strengthen its operational autonomy on long-range missions”.
These missions include “maritime surveillance, security and defence, monitoring of the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and support for missions in the public interest”, which in turn covers “the Special Rural Firefighting Device (DECIR), coastal security and environmental protection”.
In the statement, Tekever explains that in the first phase, it will train Air Force personnel until September so they can operate the systems as soon as they are delivered. Then, from October, a “second phase of training” will take place to consolidate “full operational readiness and the development of new skills within the operating teams”.
Tekever has not disclosed either the scope of the contract or the amount invested by the FAP. However, an order from the Ministry of Defence (source in Portuguese), dated November last year, authorised the Air Force to purchase an unmanned aerial system for maritime patrol with an overall maximum budget of just over 7.79 million euros, to be financed through the Military Programming Law.
Quoted in the statement, Lieutenant Colonel Luís Henriques, Operational Coordinator of the AR5 Working Group of the Portuguese Air Force, argues that “the integration of the AR5 system represents a significant improvement in the operational capabilities of the Portuguese Air Force.”
“This platform meets current surveillance, security and defence requirements, offering greater range, endurance and operational flexibility,” he says, stressing that its integration “will strengthen the nation’s ability to monitor the Exclusive Economic Zone and support a wide range of missions in the public interest, contributing to an Air Force better prepared to respond to current and future challenges.”
For his part, Pedro Petiz, Director of Strategic Development at Tekever, points out that this contract “puts an autonomous capability developed and produced in Portugal” to work protecting the country’s airspace and maritime territory. “In addition to supplying the aircraft, we will work with the Portuguese Air Force to consolidate and develop its own operational capability, which will strengthen national autonomy, readiness and responsiveness,” he adds.
