RUAG Ranger

RUAG Aviation and Israel Aerospace Industries (collaborative project)

Company type	Aerospace manufacturers
Industry	Aerospace, Defense
Headquarters	Switzerland, Israel
Products	RANGER tactical unmanned aerial vehicle (TUAV)

Ranger UAV and its catapult vehicle exhibited by the Finnish army in Ekenäs

RANGER is a tactical unmanned aerial vehicle (TUAV) developed through a collaborative effort between Swiss and Israeli aerospace firms. This project was a partnership between Switzerland’s RUAG Aviation and Israel Aerospace Industries. The UAV’s architecture and certain technologies draw heavily from the Scout UAV platform designed by Israel Aerospace Industries.

For launch, the RANGER UAV employs a compact hydraulic catapult system. Its modular payload design allows customization for diverse military and civilian applications. The aircraft features a skid-type landing gear that permits touchdown on various surfaces, including grass, concrete, snow, or ice. The manufacturer asserts that RANGER is uniquely certified to operate within civil airspace and over densely populated areas globally. The original prototype is preserved at the Flieger-Flab-Museum located in Dübendorf.

Operators

Following successful military exercises conducted by the Swiss Armed Forces, the consortium delivered the inaugural Ranger system to the Swiss Air Force in June 1999.

Within the Swiss Air Force, the system is designated as ADS-95. Prior to this, from 1988 until 1999, an earlier model known as ADS-90 was employed. Beyond military use, Swiss police units utilize RANGER UAVs for reconnaissance as well as search and rescue operations. The existing fleet of 15 ADS-95 units is scheduled to be replaced by six Elbit Hermes 900 drones by 2019. The final flight of a Swiss Air Force ADS-95 (D-124) took place on 27 November 2017.

The Finnish Defence Forces (FDF) also operate the RANGER UAV.

Former operators

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Acquired under the Armament Programme 1995 with a budget allocation of CHF 350 million, these drones entered service starting in 1999. Four complete systems were delivered, each comprising:

• Seven UAVs
• Two electro-hydraulic catapults
• Two mobile ground control stations, one equipped with an automatic landing capability
• Two mobile data reception stations
• One logistics kitThese were operated by the Swiss Air Force's 7th Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Squadron (German: Drohnen Staffel 7) based at Emmen Air Base.

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The Finnish Army operated a total of twelve RANGER drones.

Technical data

The ADS-90 prototype.

Information from the Swiss Confederation:

• Category: Tactical reconnaissance unmanned aerial vehicle
• Dimensions
  • Overall length: 4.61 m (15.1 ft)
  • Height: 1.13 m (3.7 ft)
  • Wingspan: 5.71 m (18.7 ft)
• Mass
  • Maximum takeoff weight: 285 kg (628 lb)
  • Payload capacity: 45 kg (99 lb)
• Engine
  • Type: Two-cylinder, two-stroke engine
  • Power output: 31.5 kW (42.8 PS)
• Flight specifications
  • Top speed: 220 km/h (140 mph)
  • Operational ceiling: 4,500 m (14,800 ft)
  • Maximum range: 100 km (62 mi)
  • Flight endurance: up to 9 hours
• Sensor capabilities
  • Reconnaissance operating altitude: between 1,000 and 3,000 m (3,300 and 9,800 ft) above terrain
  • Detection distance for a main battle tank with a visibility of 10 km (6.2 mi):
    • Daylight TV detection: 2.7 to 8.5 km (1.7 to 5.3 mi)
    • Nighttime infrared detection: 2.4 to 5.8 km (1.5 to 3.6 mi)
  • Real-time data transmission

External links

• Official RUAG Ranger website (archived)
• Swiss Air Force ADS-95 information page (archived)
• IAI's Ranger UAV overview
• IAI Ranger brochure Archived 2015-09-24 at the Wayback Machine