Finmeccanica–Selex ES has announced its successful contribution to the maiden flight of the prototype of the Piaggio Aerospace P.1HH HammerHead unmanned aircraft system (UAS), after an extensive flight campaign carried out with the P.1HH demo technology demonstrator, at the Italian Air Force base of Trapani Birgi.
The prototype flew with the Finmeccanica – Selex ES new vehicle control and management system for the first time and was remotely operated from the Finmeccanica – Selex ES ground control station (GCS), via the company’ datalink and communications systems to ensure safe operations during all flight activities. Finmeccanica – Selex ES also cooperates with Piaggio Aerospace to ensure highly effective integration.
The P.1HH HammerHead mission management system is based on the Finmeccanica – Selex ES’ SkyISTAR platform-agnostic innovative solution, which is ideally suited for patrol and ISR missions. The system is capable of responding to diverse threats that range from terrorist attacks to illegal immigration, protection of Exclusive Economic Zones, infrastructures and critical sites. SkyISTAR built-in sensor fusion, data management and exploitation features of skyISTAR enable highly effective border control, wide area surveillance, targeted surveillance, environmental and disaster control missions.
Finmeccanica – Selex ES’s contribution to the P1.HH programme benefits from the company’s experience in developing and manufacturing UAS surveillance systems and sensors. In addition to providing the avionics mission system, the company also provides the aircraft’s sensor suite, communications and customised data-link solutions.
The first flight of the P.1HH prototype marks the beginning of the next phase of the development of the P.1HH HammerHead UAS programme in preparation for operational readiness of the first Series Production UAS soon. Finmeccanica – Selex ES is Piaggio Aerospace’s partner of choice for the next steps of the P.1HH HammerHead programme and will be cooperating with Piaggio in the further production and development of capabilities to face different operational missions types.