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Belgian Military Aircraft

IAI - Eagle B-Hunter UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle)

On December 10th, 1998 the council of ministers approved the acquisition of three B-Hunter UAV-systems, each consisting of 6 aircraft and two ground control stations. The Unmanned Aerial Vehicles replace the MBLE "Epervier" UAVs that were struck of charge in September 1999. The B-Hunters systems are normally based at Elsenborn while some three aircraft are detached to Koksijde airbase on a regular basis to perform pollution control missions in the Belgian territorial waters.

271 c/n BH271

260301: first validation flight at Elsenborn
180702: officially taken on charge
220605-281005: deployed to Tuzla (Bosnia) for Operation "Watchfull Eyes"
000006: Active 80 UAV Sqn, Elsenborn

IAI - Eagle B-Hunter UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) - Belgian Military Aircraft Database

Koksijde 01/09/2001 - Photo Daniël Brackx ©

272 c/n BH272

180702: officially taken on charge
000006: Active 80 UAV Sqn, Elsenborn

Koksijde 02/04/2009 - Photo Daniel Brackx ©

273 c/n BH273

180702: officially taken on charge
220605-281005: deployed to Tuzla (Bosnia) for Operation "Watchfull Eyes"
000006: Active 80 UAV Sqn, Elsenborn

Tuzla 24/08/2005 - Photo Daniel Brackx ©

274 c/n BH274

180702: officially taken on charge
000006: Active 80 UAV Sqn, Elsenborn

Zeebrugge 090705 Photo: Laurent Heyligen ©

275 c/n BH275

300800: crash during automatic landing test in Israël (prototype), never officially taken on charge by the Belgian Air Component

276 c/n BH276

180702: officially taken on charge
220605-281005: deployed to Tuzla (Bosnia) for Operation "Watchfull Eyes"
000006: Active 80 UAV Sqn, Elsenborn

Tuzla 240805 - Photo Daniel Brackx ©

277 c/n BH277

180702: officially taken on charge
220605-281005: deployed to Tuzla (Bosnia) for Operation "Watchfull Eyes"
110706: arrived N'Dolo (Kinshasa) for EUFOR-operation in RD Congo (yellow high visilibility markings applied)
031006: Crash after take-off from N'Dolo. Apparently the pilot was afraid the aircraft would not get airborne in time before the end of the runway, and he switched off both engines, but as the aircraft was already in the air it crashed a few hundred metres after the end of the runway on Boulevard Triomphal. One woman on the ground was killed and at least three others were injured.

Saffraanberg 230406 Photo: Laurent Heyligen ©

278 c/n BH278

091202: officially taken on charge
000006: Active 80 UAV Sqn, Elsenborn

279 c/n BH279

091202: officially taken on charge
050506: Seriously damaged during a heavy landing at Elsenborn. The aircraft was destroyed although certain elements are considered to be reusable.

280 c/n BH280

130902: officially taken on charge
000006: Active 80 UAV Sqn, Elsenborn

Koksijde 010706 Photo: Laurent Heyligen ©

281 c/n BH281

060204: officially taken on charge
220605-281005: deployed to Tuzla (Bosnia) for Operation "Watchfull Eyes"
110706: arrived N'Dolo (Kinshasa) for EUFOR-operation in RD Congo
000006: Active 80 UAV Sqn, Elsenborn

Koksijde 081205 - Photo: Daniel Brackx ©

282 c/n BH282

130902: officially taken on charge
220605-281005: deployed to Tuzla (Bosnia) for Operation "Watchfull Eyes"
030607: written-off in a landing accident at Elsenborn

Kleine Brogel 200704 - Photo: Daniel Brackx ©

283 c/n BH283

091202: officially taken on charge
110706 arrived N'Dolo (Kinshasa) for EUFOR-operation in RD Congo (yellow high visilibility markings applied)
000006: Active 80 UAV Sqn, Elsenborn

N'Dolo 110906 - Photo Gérard Gaudin ©

284 c/n BH284

130902: officially taken on charge
000006: Active 80 UAV Sqn, Elsenborn

285 c/n BH285

091202: officially taken on charge
110706: arrived N'Dolo (Kinshasa) for EUFOR-operation in RD Congo
280706: Shot down on its first three-hour shakedown flight in Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) following the type's deployment to the DRC on July 12 in support of EUFOR Congo. Part of the UAV fell in the Congo River; the rest struck a house and started a fire, injuring six people on the ground. The UAV was flying at 1300ft (400m) over marshland near Kinshasa/N'Dolo Airport when a lone gunman with a known criminal record apparently took a single shot at it with his Kalashnikov AK-47. By sheer misfortune, the bullit hit the left side of fuselage and then entered the wing root and struck the wing spar, destroying it and causing the wing to fold up.

130902: officially taken on charge
000006: Active 80 UAV Sqn, Elsenborn

287 c/n BH287

130902: officially taken on charge
000006: Active 80 UAV Sqn, Elsenborn

288 c/n BH288

130902: officially taken on charge
000006: Active 80 UAV Sqn, Elsenborn
091007: After several landing attempt and facing unapropriate weather conditions for a standard automatic landing procedure the 80 UAV Sqn staff has simply opted for the pre-programmed - but seldomly practized - emergency procedure: a parachute landing in a predetermined area of the airbase, and, everything went OK. Despite it doesn't present any external dammage the BH-288 will be closely inspected in the next days by the 80 UAV Sqn maintenance and should be back in the air very soon.

IAI - Eagle B-Hunter UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) - Belgian Military Aircraft

091202: officially taken on charge
120906: arrived N'Dolo (Kinshasa) for EUFOR-operation in RD Congo (replacement for 285)
000006: Active 80 UAV Sqn, Elsenborn

LaurentH	Latest page update: made by LaurentH , Apr 26 2009, 10:54 AM EDT (about this update About This Update Edited by LaurentH 4 words added 4 words deleted view changes - complete history)
	Keyword tags: 80 Sqn 80 Squadron 80 UAV Sqn Bosnia Congo Elsenborn Epervier EUFOR israel Kinshasa N'Dolo Tuzla Watchfull Eyes More Info: links to this page