NEWTOWN, Conn. - The Venezuelan Air Force has begun operating Arpia-001 (Harpy-001) unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) made by the national military company CAVIM.
The Arpia is Venezuela's version of the Mohajer 2 UAV produced by Iranian firm Qods Aeronautics Industries. CAVIM was able to use the Mohajer 2 platform as a result of a military-technical cooperation agreement signed between the governments of Venezuela and Iran back in 2006. In January 2007, the Venezuelan Ministry of Defense confirmed that the South American country would build UAVs with Iranian technology.
According to Venezuela's Minister of Defense, Chief Adm. Diego Alfredo Molero Bellavia, CAVIM has built 15 Arpia UAVs to date. Based on information provided by the state, the Venezuelan variant has a wingspan of 4 meters and a length of 8 feet. It can reach an altitude of 3,000 meters, has a 100-kilometer (60-mile) range, and can fly solo for approximately 90 minutes. The Arpia is powered by a two-stroke engine and is equipped with video and high-resolution photo cameras.
Venezuela has also acquired 12 Iranian drones for reconnaissance, surveillance, and environmental-monitoring duties. Although information is limited, the UAVs in question are believed to be Ababil and Mohajer 4 drones.
CAVIM is now working on its own design, the ANT-3X Venezuelan Gavilan (Sparrowhawk).
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