UAV · Tactical UAV
Watchkeeper WK450
Thales / Elbit Systems (U-TacS joint venture) · United Kingdom
British Army tactical ISR UAV built by the Thales/Elbit U-TacS joint venture, derived from the Elbit Hermes 450, with EO/IR and SAR/GMTI radar.
| Country | United Kingdom |
|---|---|
| Subcategory | Fixed-wing |
| Subtype | Tactical UAV |
| Role | ISR |
| Class | Tactical |
| Classification | Tactical UAV |
| Mission | ISR |
| Notable partners | Thales UK, Elbit Systems |
| MTOW (kg) | 450 |
| Operators | British Army |
| Frame type | Fixed-wing |
| Length (m) | 6.5 |
| Propulsion | Piston |
| Wingspan (m) | 10.9 |
| Combat-proven | Yes |
| Launch method | Runway takeoff |
| Autonomy level | Semi-autonomous |
| Endurance (min) | 1020 |
| Recovery method | Runway landing |
| Year introduced | 2019 |
| Max payload (kg) | 150 |
| Max speed (km/h) | 143 |
| Standard sensors | Day/night EO/IR; dual-mode SAR/GMTI radar |
| Production status | In service |
| Service ceiling (m) | 4900 |
| Conflicts deployed in | Afghanistan |
| Airframe / lift type | Fixed-wing |
| Control / autonomy level | Semi-autonomous (human-on-the-loop) |
| Domain | Aerial (UAV/UAS) |
| Mission / use case – military | ISR |
| Origin / supply chain | Military-grade |
| Propulsion | ICE – petrol |
| Range / endurance | Short range (50–150 km) |
| Signature / detectability | RCS – medium |
| Speed regime | Medium (50–150 km/h) |
| Threat vector | Surveillance / reconnaissance |
| Weight / class | Class II – Tactical (150–600 kg), FAA >25 kg (Part 137 / waiver) |
In the news 19
Faute de Patroller, le 61e Régiment d’Artillerie sera doté de drones Tekever AR3TEKEVER Selected to Deliver CORVUS, the British Army’s New Surveillance CapabilityBritish Army's 10,000-Drone Buy Bets on Manual Pilots, Not the Newest HardwareTekever Hits $6.4 Billion Valuation as University of California Leads First-Ever Direct European BetTekever Hits $6.4 Billion as University of California Backs AI DronesBritain Buys Tekever's AR5 to Replace Watchkeeper and Fields 1,025 Small Spy Drones Under 'Recce Strike'U.S. Army buys Ukrainian Raybird unmanned aircraftUn drone « Made in France » atterrit dans l’armée britanniqueUK Ministry of Defence says Britain will invest more than £5 billion in autonomous systems in its largest-ever drone pushTekever to deliver AR5 UAS and training to Portuguese Air ForceTEKEVER Selected to Deliver CORVUS, the British Army’s New Surveillance CapabilityBritish Army’s Project Corvus selection highlights new era of drone sovereignty
Showing the 12 most recent of 19 mentions.
From uav360.xyz, the xSonomy news feed. Headlines link to the original publisher.
Review-stage catalogue data — specs corroborated from manufacturer and secondary sources; not for procurement decisions. Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thales_Watchkeeper_WK450