IAI Searcher
Israel Aerospace Industries · Israel · first flew 1990 · reconnaissance aircraft
The IAI Searcher is an Israeli medium-range tactical unmanned air vehicle designed for reconnaissance and surveillance, and one of the most widely exported UAVs of its generation.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | High-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 4.07 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Twin fin |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Unmanned — 0 crew
- Twin-boom tactical UAV widely exported
- Israeli medium-range reconnaissance drone
High-wing twin-boom UAV with a single pusher piston engine at the rear of the central pod; similar to other IAI designs but smaller than the Heron and identifiable by its proportions.
Specifications
- The IAI Searcher has a length of 4.07 m (13 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 7.2 m (24 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 200 km/h (124 mph).
- Typical crew: 0 (unmanned).
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Developed by Israel Aerospace Industries in the late 1980s, the Searcher entered service in the early 1990s and established IAI as a world leader in tactical UAV exports. It has been operated in numerous conflicts and by many nations across Asia, Europe, and the Middle East.
Variants
Produced as Searcher I and Searcher II (larger, more capable); the Searcher II features a longer fuselage and improved sensors.
Where you'll see it
Operated by India (as the Searcher Mk.II), Sri Lanka, Singapore, Thailand, and other nations; India operated it for border surveillance and combat support.
Related aircraft
- IAI S-2T Turbo Tracker
- IAI Harpy
- IAI Heron
- IAI Lavi
- Yakovlev Pchela-1T
- Denel Dynamics Seeker
- EC-130V Hercules
- General Atomics GNAT
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