NEWTOWN, Conn. - The Denel Dynamics Seeker 400 unmanned aerial vehicle has successfully completed a second round of flights tests at Alkantpan in the Northern Cape. The tests included an evaluation of the system for range and performance with full payload on board.
South African state-owned defense firm Denel, had announced that its new Seeker 400 unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) had successfully completed its first round of flight tests in February 2014. Although the second round of test flights was expected to occur back in March, it appears they were delayed.
Currently, the Seeker 400 has a range of just 250 kilometers because it uses only line-of-sight communications, but it could be upgraded to use satellite communications, which would allow it to operate at much greater ranges. With the use of the existing tactical ground station, the range may be extended to 750 kilometers. It is especially well suited to locate targets, endorse artillery fire, and carry out electronic intelligence (ELINT) and electronic support measure (ESM) missions.
The Seeker 400 is derived from its forerunner, the Seeker II UAV, which South Africa's Denel Dynamics already manufactures and exports. It was first unveiled at the African Aerospace and Defence (AAD) 2008 exposition. An armed variant of Seeker 400 was showcased at the AAD 2010 expo held in Cape Town.