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Israel Israel Aerospace Industries
Heron TP
A larger, turboprop-powered evolution of the Heron 1 capable of carrying heavier payloads to higher altitudes, operated by the Israeli Air Force (as Eitan) and the UK Royal Air Force (as Protector-predecessor Watchkeeper-class lease). Reportedly armable, though Israel has not officially confirmed weapons use.
In service since 2010 · 3 operator countries
Compiled from public sources ·primary reference ↗ ·last verified 2026-07-02
7,400
km range
13,716
m ceiling
2,700
kg payload
Pricing: Unit cost not publicly disclosed
Procurement snapshot
Availability & export
Israeli export-licensed
Israeli MoD (DECA/SIBAT) licensing; active export programme.
Channel: Direct commercial / G2G
Fielded & proven
Limited · 3 operators
In service since 2010. Status: active.
Lifecycle cost (est.)
No public unit price to model from. Why so few systems publish one →
Interoperability
No standardised NATO calibre / datalink detected in public specs.
Derived guidance from public data, export regime by country of origin, lifecycle from the GAO ~30% acquisition rule. Verify eligibility, pricing and offsets with the manufacturer and your acquisition authority.
Compatible munitions & weapons
Publicly reported weapons the Heron TP can carry. Linked items have a full spec page.
Full specifications
Performance
Speed, range, altitude and engagement capability.
| Cruise speed Sustained economical speed. Determines transit time to station. | 213 km/h |
|---|---|
| Range Maximum distance: ferry range for aircraft, operational range for vehicles, maximum engagement distance for missiles. Higher means more standoff or persistence. | 7,400 km |
| Service ceiling Maximum operating altitude. Higher gives energy advantage and sensor horizon. | 13,716 m |
| Endurance Time on station. Critical for UAVs and patrol platforms, higher means longer persistent coverage. | 30 h |
Firepower
Armament, payload and guidance.
| Weapons payload Maximum ordnance weight the platform can carry. Higher means more strike capacity per sortie. | 2,700 kg |
|---|
Physical
Dimensions, weight and crew.
| Length Overall length including gun/probe where applicable. | 13 m |
|---|---|
| Wingspan Wingtip-to-wingtip span. | 26 m |
| Combat weight Fully loaded weight. Lighter eases transport and bridging limits; heavier often means more armor. | 5,670 kg |
| Crew Personnel required to operate. Fewer reduces exposure; autoloaders trade a loader for mechanical complexity. | 0 |
Propulsion
Engine, power and fuel.
| Engine Powerplant model and type. | Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A turboprop |
|---|---|
| Propulsion type Turbofan, turboshaft, diesel, gas turbine, solid-fuel rocket, ramjet… | Turboprop, pusher propeller |
Sensors & avionics
Radar, sensor suite and datalinks.
| Sensors IRST, EO/IR turrets, laser designators, sniper pods, thermal sights. | Electro-optical/infrared payload, Synthetic aperture radar/GMTI, SIGINT payload (variants) |
|---|---|
| Datalink Network connectivity: Link 16, MADL, national datalinks. Enables cooperative engagement. | LOS datalink, SATCOM |
Program
Cost, production scale and operators.
| Operator countries Number of countries operating the system. More operators means broader support ecosystem. | 3 |
|---|
Specifications compiled from public Israel Aerospace Industries and reference sources ↗. Published defense figures are approximations, treat comparisons as directional. Last verified 2026-07-02.
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General Atomics Aeronautical Systems MQ-9A Reaper Frequently asked questions
What is the range of the Israel Aerospace Industries Heron TP? +
The Israel Aerospace Industries Heron TP has a maximum range of 7,400 km.
What is the weapons payload of the Israel Aerospace Industries Heron TP? +
The Israel Aerospace Industries Heron TP can carry up to 2,700 kg of weapons payload.
How much does the Israel Aerospace Industries Heron TP weigh? +
The Israel Aerospace Industries Heron TP has a combat weight of 5,670 kg.
How many crew does the Israel Aerospace Industries Heron TP require? +
The Israel Aerospace Industries Heron TP requires a crew of 0.
What engine does the Israel Aerospace Industries Heron TP use? +
The Israel Aerospace Industries Heron TP is powered by the Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A turboprop.
What is the Israel Aerospace Industries Heron TP used for? +
The Israel Aerospace Industries Heron TP is a uav / drone typically used for isr, close air support.
How many countries operate the Israel Aerospace Industries Heron TP? +
The Israel Aerospace Industries Heron TP is operated by 3 countries.
How much does the Israel Aerospace Industries Heron TP cost? +
Israel Aerospace Industries Heron TP: Unit cost not publicly disclosed. Defense program costs are rarely fully public and vary by contract and configuration.
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Related coverage
Heron TP in the news
Article comparison · Aug 3, 2026
UAV Payload vs. Range: Why the Two Don't Scale Together
Across 29 drones that publish both figures, payload and range correlate only moderately (r=0.615), revealing two distinct UAV design philosophies.
Article industry · Jul 5, 2026
Is Published Range a Lie? We Audited 1,017 Systems
Of the 593 systems in our database that publish a range, only 52 also say whether it is a combat radius or a ferry figure. That gap misleads readers.