Desert Hawk III

The Desert Hawk III is one of two Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) currently used by the Royal Artillery and forms an important part of the Regiment’s ISTAR (Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance) capability.

Unmanned aircraft have been in Royal Artillery service since the 1960s, and our collection includes several different UAS types, including the Northrop Falconer, Canadair Midge, Phoenix and Hermes 450. Today, the Regiment operates two main systems: the large Watchkeeper, made by Thales, and the much smaller Desert Hawk III.

Lockheed Martin’s original Desert Hawk was a battery-powered miniature UAS developed in 2002. The Desert Hawk III, introduced in 2006, is lighter and more rugged than its predecessor. It can fly for up to one hour within a radius of around fifteen kilometres. Many are surprised to discover that its controller resembles that of an Xbox 360. First used by the Royal Artillery in 2007, the Desert Hawk III has seen extensive service in Iraq and Afghanistan.