MBLE Épervier
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| {{Infobox aircraft begin
| name=Épervier | image=Royal Military Museum Brussels 2007 187.JPG | caption= }}{{Infobox aircraft type | type=Battlefield reconnaissance drone | national origin=Belgium | manufacturer=Manufacture Belge De Lampes Et De Matériel Electronique | designer= | first flight= | introduced= | retired= | status= | produced= | primary user=Belgian Army | number built= | developed from= | variants with their own articles= | developed into= }} |
The MBLE Épervier ({{langx|en|Sparrowhawk}}) was a 1970s Belgian battlefield reconnaissance system which included an X-5 air vehicle, a launcher and a drone control centre. It served with the Belgian Army until 1999.
Design and development
Originally the Épervier system was designed to meet a NATO requirement and in July 1969 the Belgian Government decided to fund the development programme, a cooperation contract with Manufacture Belge De Lampes Et De Matériel Electronique (MBLE)(fr, nl) was signed in early 1971. Early prototypes of the drone (designated X-1 to X-4) were flown to prove the concept and at the end of the 1972 in to 1973 the system underwent an operational evaluation, it proved an ability to photograph a target up to 70 km (43 miles) away in either guided or programmed mode.
The X-5 air vehicle is an unmanned monoplane drone powered by a Lucas TJ 125 turbojet, and built under contract by Fairey SA. It has a truncated delta wing with endplate fins and a central fin. The X-5 can carry 70mm day or night cameras and infra-red line-scanning equipment which can transmit real-time data.
The launcher is a short orientable ramp, the drone is recovered by parachute. The Drone Control Centre has all the equipment to for guiding and tracking the air vehicle. The system also has a mobile photographic processing and interpretation unit.
Operational history
Following further evaluation and testing the Épervier entered service with the Belgian Army in 1977 and served until 1999.
Operators
;{{BEL}}
Specifications (X-5)
{{Aircraft specs
|ref=Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1973-74
|prime units? = met
|length m=2.38
|length ft=7
|length in=9.75
|span m=1.72
|span ft=5
|span in=7.75
|height m=0.92
|height ft=3
|height in=0.25
|gross weight kg=142
|gross weight lb=313
|eng1 number=1
|eng1 name=Lucas TJ 125 turbojet
|eng1 kn=0.5
|eng1 lbf=114
|cruise speed kmh=500
|cruise speed mph=312
|endurance=25+ minutes
|ceiling m=1830
|ceiling ft=6000
}}
See also
References
=Notes=
=Bibliography=
{{commonscat|MBLE Epervier}}
{{refbegin}}
- {{cite book |editor-last= Taylor|editor-first= John W.R. |title= Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1973-74|year= 1973|publisher= Jane's Yearbooks |location=London, United Kingdom|isbn=0-354-00117-5}}
{{refend}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:MBLE Epervier}}