HAI Pegasus

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The Pegasus (full name is E1-79 ΠΗΓΑΣΟΣ) is an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), product of the Hellenic Aerospace Industry (HAI or EAB from the Greek initials). Its development started in 1979 in collaboration with KETA (Hellenic Air Force Research & Development Center) and its first flight was made in 1982. Main uses are surveillance and intelligence gathering; it has a length of 2.1 m, wingspan 5 m, maximum speed 160 km/h, minimum speed 75 km/h, take-off load 130 kg and autonomy of 3.5 hrs. After initial delays in the relevant program of the Greek Air Force, 10 units (including the ground station infrastructure) were produced (a number of them in KEA) to facilitate its performance optimization. By 2003 it was already operational, being upgraded in 2005 to Pegasus II level.

Other similar projects by HAI include the TELAMON, a very advanced, jet-powered UAV, jointly developed with Northrop, based on the latter's Chuckar III UAV. It was introduced in 1986; it has a maximum speed of 924 km/h and an autonomy of 740 km. The project did not proceed, considered too expensive for the Greek Air Force requirements.