Leonardo Falco Xplorer
{{Short description|Type of UAV}}
| {{Infobox aircraft begin
| name = Falco Xplorer | image = File:Paris Air Show 2019 - Le Bourget (48113963116).jpg | caption = Falco Xplorer at the 2019 Paris Air Show }}{{Infobox aircraft type | type = Remotely Piloted Aircraft System | national origin = Italy | manufacturer = Leonardo S.p.A. | first flight = 15 January 2020 | introduced = | retired = | status = | primary user = | more users = {{plainlist| }} | produced = | number built = | developed from = Falco EVO{{cite web |url=https://unmanned.leonardo.com/documents/16277715/18566021/Falco+Xplorer+%28mm09001%29_HQ.pdf?t=1674729856234 |title=FALCO XPLORER |publisher=Leonardo S.p.A.|access-date=25 September 2023}} | variants with their own articles = | developed into = }} |
The Falco Xplorer is a MALE UAV capable of both intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition, and reconnaissance missions and airstrike missions, developed by Leonardo S.p.A. of Italy. Aimed at military and civilian markets, the drone is not subject to ITAR restrictions{{cite news |last1=Kington |first1=Tom |title=Leonardo flies new Falco Xplorer drone |url=https://www.defensenews.com/global/europe/2020/01/20/leonardo-flies-new-falco-xplorer-drone/ |access-date=22 July 2020 |agency=Defense News |publisher=Defense News |date=2020-01-20}} making it easily exportable around the world.{{cite web |url=https://unmanned.leonardo.com/en/products/falco-xplorer |title=State of the art solution for persistent multi sensor strategic surveillance |website=Falco-Xplorer |publisher=Leonardo S.p.A.|access-date=25 September 2023}}
Development
The Falco Xplorer was first presented at the Paris Air Show of 2019 by Fabrizio Boggiani, senior vice-president of airborne sensors and mission systems at Leonardo Electronics.{{cite news |last1=Stevenson |first1=Beth |url=https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/defense/2019-06-16/falco-xplorer-uav-unveiled |title=Falco Xplorer UAV Unveiled |agency=Aviation International News |publisher=AIN Media Group |date=2019-06-16 |access-date=28 September 2023}} On 15 January 2020, the Test Flight Department of the Italian Air Force conducted the first flight of the Xplorer at the Trapani–Birgi Airport.{{cite web |url=https://www.leonardo.com/en/press-release-detail/-/detail/17-01-2020-leonardo-s-falco-xplorer-drone-completes-first-flight |title=Leonardo’s Falco Xplorer drone completes first flight |publisher=Leonardo S.p.A.|access-date=25 September 2023}} On 22 October 2020 during testing, an unknown problem forced one Falco to be ditched at sea.{{cite web |url=https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/244305 |title=Incident Leonardo Falco Xplorer XAV-SA-007 |website=AviationSafetyNetwork |access-date=30 September 2023}} The Falco Xplorer finished its first round of testing on 22 December 2022, after which it started a new round of testing with the Direzione degli Armamenti Aeronautici e per l'Aeronavigabilità (ARMAEREO) with the objective to meet the NATO STANAG 4671 standard.{{cite news |last1=Drăgan |first1=Otilia |url=https://www.autoevolution.com/news/leonardos-fierce-falco-xplorer-breaks-the-norm-with-top-notch-features-206997.html |title=Leonardo’s Fierce Falco Xplorer Breaks the Norm With Top-Notch Features |agency=autoevolution
|publisher=SoftNews Net SRL |date=2022-12-23 |access-date=30 September 2023}} At the 2023 Paris Air Show, Leonardo presented a version of the Xplorer armed with the Brimstone 3 missile, departing from the 2019's statements that there were no plans to manufacture an armed version of the platform. Leonardo hopes to complete the certification process and start receiving orders by 2024.{{cite news |last1=Martin |first1=Tim |url=https://breakingdefense.com/2023/06/leonardo-moves-out-with-brimstone-missile-integration-on-falco-xplorer-male-uav/4 |title=Leonardo moves out with Brimstone missile integration on Falco Xplorer MALE UAV |agency=Breaking Defense |publisher=Breaking Defense |date=2023-06-21 |access-date=25 September 2023}}