Abu Dhabi-based EDGE Group has announced the successful completion of Factory Acceptance Trials (FAT) for six Anavia HT-100 Naval unmanned helicopters, which have now been successfully delivered to the Angolan Navy under the landmark €1 billion ($1.2 billion) naval programme including three corvettes.
The trials were conducted last month at the facilities of Anavia in Bilten, Switzerland, and were attended by a high-level delegation from the Angolan Navy and Simportex, Angola’s public enterprise specialising in the supply, acquisition and importation of equipment, material and services supporting the country’s defence and security sector.
The successful trials included the first operational flying tests of all six HT-100 Naval systems and represent a significant milestone in the programme.
Following completion of the FAT, all six systems were successfully delivered to the Angolan Navy, marking an important step towards their integration with the BR71 MK II corvettes and the delivery of an enhanced maritime surveillance and reconnaissance capability.
Khaled Al Zaabi, President – Platforms & Systems, EDGE Group, said: "The successful completion of the Factory Acceptance Trials marks an important milestone in the delivery of this advanced capability to the Angolan Navy. Through close collaboration across EDGE, ADSB, and ANAVIA, we are combining naval platforms and unmanned systems to deliver an integrated solution aligned with Angola’s operational requirements."
The six HT-100 Naval unmanned helicopters will be integrated onto three BR71 MK II Combattante corvettes being delivered to the Angolan Navy by EDGE’s naval arm, Abu Dhabi Ship Building (ADSB). Two HT-100 Naval systems will be assigned to each vessel and fully integrated with the corvettes’ combat management systems. Equipped with electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) sensors, the systems are designed to extend the vessels’ surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities and provide an integrated unmanned capability for maritime operations.
Ishan Sahgal, the co-CEO and Founder, Anavia, said: "This milestone demonstrates our ability to deliver a complete, fully autonomous system for shipborne operations, closely tailored to the customer’s operational requirements."
"The close co-operation with the Angolan Navy, EDGE, and our industry partners demonstrates our innovative capabilities and further strengthens international confidence in our products," he stated.
With delivery of all six HT-100 Naval systems now complete, the programme will progress to their integration onboard the BR71 MK II platforms. This will be followed by sea trials of the integrated capability on the vessels in Angola, bringing the programme closer to operational service with the Angolan Navy.
The BR71 MK II programme forms part of a €1 billion contract signed between EDGE and the Angolan Navy for three 71-m multi-mission corvettes.
The first-of-class vessel, NRA Ekuikui II, was launched in Cherbourg, France, while the second corvette is being constructed by ADSB in Abu Dhabi and the third by CMN Naval in Cherbourg. The programme represents a significant international naval engagement for EDGE and supports the Angolan Navy’s ongoing modernisation and maritime security requirements.