Lockheed Martin Desert Hawk III

{{Infobox aircraft begin

| name=Desert Hawk III

| image=File:Soldiers Using Desert Hawk 3 MOD 45157708.jpg

| caption=A Royal Artillery soldier assembling a Desert Hawk III

}}{{Infobox aircraft type

| type=UAV

| national origin=United States

| manufacturer=Lockheed Martin

| designer=

| first flight=2006

| introduced=

| retired=

| status=

| primary user= British Army

| more users=

| produced=

| number built=

| program cost=

| unit cost=

| developed from=

| variants with their own articles=

}}

The Lockheed Martin Desert Hawk III (DHIII) is a miniature UAV designed by the Lockheed Martin Aeronautics in 2006. It is a small surveillance drone, which is mainly used by the United Kingdom, but has also been used by the United States for reconnaissance and recovery missions.{{cite web|title=Desert Hawk III|url=http://www.lockheedmartin.com/us/products/desert-hawk.html|website=lockheedmartin.com|publisher=Lockheed Martin|access-date=18 November 2014|archive-date=26 March 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140326212545/http://www.lockheedmartin.com/us/products/desert-hawk.html|url-status=dead}}

Design and development

The Desert Hawk III was created by the Skunk Works team at Lockheed Martin as an update to the original Desert Hawk, which was developed in 2002 with its first actual flight coming in 2003. The original is slightly smaller and heavier than the DHIII, and the DHIII can stay in the air over thirty minutes longer.{{cite web|title=Desert Hawk III Putting Capability in the Hands of the Warfighter|url=http://www.lockheedmartin.com/content/dam/lockheed/data/ms2/documents/Desert_Hawk_III_brochure.pdf|website=lockheedmartin.com.|publisher=Lockheed Martin|access-date=18 November 2014}}

The Desert Hawk III is made out of a special polypropylene material. Polypropylene is mouldable when heated to a high enough temperature and returns to a solid state when the temperature is lowered back to normal. Polypropylene was chosen because of its flexibility and ability to protect the device with its rugged surface.{{cite web|title=Desert Hawk III|url=http://www.armedforces-int.com/projects/desert_hawk_uav.html|website=armedforces-int.com|access-date=18 November 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140107094358/http://www.armedforces-int.com/projects/desert_hawk_uav.html|archive-date=7 January 2014|url-status=dead}}

= Powerplant =

The DHIII has one electric motor driving the quiet propeller located on the nose of the plane. The motor was chosen to minimize the sound level produced by the vehicle, allowing it to get closer to a subject during missions without being heard.{{cite web|title=Desert Hawk III Miniature Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (MUAV)|url=http://www.airforce-technology.com/projects/deserthawkuav/|website=airforce-technology.com|access-date=18 November 2014}}{{Unreliable source?|reason=domain on WP:BLACKLIST|date=June 2016}}

= Radar and Intelligence packages =

There are three different intelligence packages used by the DHIII:

  • Synthetic aperture radar (SAR): Creates images by using radio waves that bounce off surfaces, then measuring the echos. The SAR can be used in all weather conditions, while still providing an accurate image.{{cn|date=March 2025}}
  • Signals intelligence (SIGINT): Intercepts electronic signals, and either records them as new information or matches them to known data.
  • Communications intelligence (COMINT): Intercepts electronic signals, specifically communication between people, and records the information. COMINT is used to find out who transmitted the signal, their location, and how long the signal lasted.

= Sensors and cameras =

The DHIII is equipped with the following sensors and cameras:

  • Infrared sensors, which detect heat.
  • Electro-optical sensors, which detect changes in light.
  • Long wave infrared imager (LWIR), which is a unique camera that captures thermal images to show differences in heat.
  • Laser illuminator, which records video when it is dark with night vision technology.

= Ground Control Station =

The Ground Control Station (GCS), the Desert Hawk III's remote control system, is a large briefcase that contains all of the tools needed to operate up to four Desert Hawks at once. It is equipped with tracking capabilities, multiple antennas for proper connectivity, and it is operated by a remote control similar to an Xbox 360 Controller. The GCS is portable and weighs {{convert|15|lb|kg}}.

The GCS programs flight patterns for missions into the DHIII. Then, when the vehicle is in flight, the GCS uses the autopilot function to perform the programmed flights. The autopilot function allows the operator of the DHIII to focus on using the sensors, radars, and cameras to gather the needed information during the mission. However, the operator is in control during launch and landing sequences.

= Performance =

The DHIII is a hand-launched aircraft with specific techniques for launching and landing the vehicle.

= Launch technique =

The DHIII is launched manually. After the launch the ground control station takes over with the flight commands.

= Landing technique =

As the DHIII does not have wheels, it does not land like most airplanes do. It is important that the vehicle lands as close to horizontally as possible. To perform a proper skid landing, the operator must take into account, the angle of descent, the wind, and the terrain on which the vehicle is landing. The operator of the DHIII may bring the device around multiple times to make sure the landing goes smoothly. The aircraft is designed to break apart on impact, to dissipate its kinetic energy without causing damage to the components so they can be reused.

Operational history

The first order of Desert Hawk IIIs was made by the British Army in 2006. They were used by the Royal Artillery and the 32nd Regiment in Iraq. In late 2007, the United Kingdom Ministry of Defense signed a contract, worth $4.8 million, with Lockheed Martin for more DHIIIs.

In 2013, there was a total 222 Desert Hawk IIIs in service for the British army, which was almost 40% of all drones in service.{{cite journal|last1=Hoyle|first1=Craig|title=Unmanned Taranis has flown, MoD reveals|journal=Flight International|url=http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/unmanned-taranis-has-flown-mod-reveals-392177/|access-date=22 October 2014|location=London}} It was also reported that 412 DHIIIs had crashed, broken down, or been lost behind enemy lines between the years 2008 and 2013.{{cite news|last1=Hopkins|first1=Nick|title=Nearly 450 British military drones lost in Iraq and Afghanistan|url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2013/feb/12/450-british-military-drones-lost|newspaper=The Guardian|date=12 February 2013 |access-date=14 October 2014}}

Specifications (Desert Hawk III)

{{Aircraft specs

|ref=

|prime units?=kts

|genhide=

|crew=

|capacity=

|length m=

|length ft=

|length in=54

|length note=

|span m=

|span ft=4

|span in=

|span note=

|upper span m=

|upper span ft=

|upper span in=

|upper span note=

|mid span m=

|mid span ft=

|mid span in=

|mid span note=

|lower span m=

|lower span ft=

|lower span in=

|lower span note=

|swept m=

|swept ft=

|swept in=

|swept note=

|dia m=

|dia ft=

|dia in=

|dia note=

|width m=

|width ft=

|width in=

|width note=

|height m=

|height ft=

|height in=

|height note=

|wing area sqm=

|wing area sqft=

|wing area note=

|swept area sqm=

|swept area sqft=

|swept area note=

|volume m3=

|volume ft3=

|volume note=

|aspect ratio=

|airfoil=

|empty weight kg=

|empty weight lb=6

|empty weight note=

|gross weight kg=

|gross weight lb=8

|gross weight note=

|max takeoff weight kg=

|max takeoff weight lb=

|max takeoff weight note=

|fuel capacity=

|lift kg=

|lift lb=

|lift note=

|more general=

|eng1 number=1

|eng1 name= electric motor

|eng1 type=

|eng1 kw=

|eng1 hp=

|eng1 shp=

|eng1 kn=

|eng1 lbf=

|eng1 note=

|power original=

|thrust original=

|eng1 kn-ab=

|eng1 lbf-ab=

|eng2 number=

|eng2 name=

|eng2 type=

|eng2 kw=

|eng2 hp=

|eng2 shp=

|eng3 number=

|eng3 name=

|eng3 type=

|eng3 kw=

|eng3 hp=

|eng3 shp=

|more power=

|prop blade number=

|prop name=

|prop dia m=

|prop dia ft=

|prop dia in=

|prop dia note=

|perfhide=

|max speed kmh=92

|max speed mph=

|max speed kts=

|max speed note=

|max speed mach=

|cruise speed kmh=

|cruise speed mph=

|cruise speed kts=

|cruise speed note=

|stall speed kmh=

|stall speed mph=

|stall speed kts=

|stall speed note=

|never exceed speed kmh=

|never exceed speed mph=

|never exceed speed kts=

|never exceed speed note=

|minimum control speed kmh=

|minimum control speed mph=35

|minimum control speed kts=

|minimum control speed note=

|range km=15

|range miles=

|range nmi=

|range note=

|combat range km=

|combat range miles=

|combat range nmi=

|combat range note=

|ferry range km=

|ferry range miles=

|ferry range nmi=

|ferry range note=

|endurance=90 minutes

|ceiling m=

|ceiling ft=11000

|ceiling note=

|g limits=

|roll rate=

|glide ratio=

|climb rate ms=

|climb rate ftmin=

|climb rate note=

|time to altitude=

|sink rate ms=

|sink rate ftmin=

|sink rate note=

|lift to drag=

|wing loading kg/m2=

|wing loading lb/sqft=

|wing loading note=

|disk loading kg/m2=

|disk loading lb/sqft=

|disk loading note=

|fuel consumption kg/km=

|fuel consumption lb/mi=

|power/mass=

|thrust/weight=

|more performance=

|armament=

|guns=

|bombs=

|rockets=

|missiles=

|hardpoints=

|hardpoint capacity=

|hardpoint rockets=

|hardpoint missiles=

|hardpoint bombs=

|hardpoint other=

|avionics=

}}

References