Elbit Systems Ltd. announced that it was awarded a contract by the Brazilian Air Force (FAB) for the supply of a Hermes 900 unmanned aircraft system (UAS).

The Hermes 900, which will be equipped with a new and advanced intelligence gathering system considered as a breakthrough operational solution, will be operated by FAB in combined missions with the Hermes 450 fleet, already in operational use. Both UAS will carry safety and security missions in the 2014 FIFA World Cup Games. The contract is in an amount that is not material to Elbit Systems, and the Hermes 900 will be supplied within two months.

Hermes 900, already in service with the Israeli Air Force and additional world leading armed forces, offers longer endurance, flight altitude of 30,000 ft. and a large payload capacity, suitable for carrying a wide range of payloads as well as capabilities to operate in adverse weather. The UAS is highly autonomous, enabling automatic take-off and landing and includes advanced avionics and electronic systems. The system allows for joint flight missions with the Hermes 450, controlled and operated from the same universal ground control station, transmitting the gathered imagery, while using various communications systems.