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The United States and Israel have announced a strategic partnership to develop hydrogen-powered drones capable of carrying out attacks from up to 290 km away. The new technology aims to combine energy efficiency and offensive power, with performance close to that of HIMARS systems.
California-based Mach Industries has partnered with Israeli manufacturer Heven Drones to develop hydrogen-powered drones for military use in the United States.
The project seeks to increase the autonomy and efficiency of equipment, in addition to reducing dependence on foreign suppliers in the sector.
The drones will be powered by hydrogen fuel cells, a technology that promises to improve operational performance and make operations more sustainable. According to experts involved in the project, this innovation could represent an important advance in terms of military strategy.
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New H2D250 drone seeks to expand operational capabilities
The H2D250 model, the highlight of the partnership, is a high-performance drone that can reach targets up to 290 kilometers away, carrying a warhead weighing up to 10 kilograms. These characteristics make it comparable to systems such as HIMARS, used for long-range attacks.
According to Benzion Levinson, CEO of Heven Drones, the initial expectation is to produce around 1.000 units per month. With the expansion of industrial capacity, the company intends to reach a daily production scale of up to 1.000 drones, a volume that will require robust investments and optimization of assembly lines.
The initiative builds on decades of research into hydrogen fuel cells in the United States. In the 1990s, NASA conducted experiments with unmanned aircraft powered by this type of energy.
Designed by AeroVironment, these vehicles are intended for atmospheric research and communications transmissions.
Military research and strategic advantages
In addition to NASA, the Office of Naval Research has also dedicated itself to studying hydrogen fuel cells, exploring alternatives for military operations in the field.
The technology has strategic advantages, especially in missions that require stealth, as it generates less noise and reduces the thermal signature, making it difficult for enemies to detect.
Another benefit highlighted by researchers is the reduced environmental impact. Since the only waste product from the electrochemical reaction of fuel cells is water, drones align with Pentagon initiatives to reduce carbon emissions.
According to Levinson, half a kilogram of hydrogen fuel can keep a drone in flight for about 10 hours, considerably longer than traditional battery-powered drones. This increased autonomy could be a major differentiator in prolonged military operations.
Additionally, recent advances in technology have enabled the integration of advanced autonomy capabilities into drones. This will allow aircraft to operate with less need for human intervention, reducing the risk of cyberattacks that compromise communication between operators and equipment in the field.
Challenges in component supply
Despite the potential of the new technology, there are challenges to overcome. China still dominates the production of essential components for batteries and fuel cells, which could make it difficult for the new drones to be produced on a large scale in the United States.
The partnership between Mach Industries and Heven Drones seeks to reduce this dependency by creating a more autonomous and reliable supply chain for the defense industry.
The goal is to ensure that the US military has access to modern equipment without having to resort to strategic supplies from competing countries.
Another initiative by Heven Drones to address this issue is to develop mobile hydrogen refueling stations. These points could be installed in remote locations, facilitating fueling logistics and making operations less vulnerable to potential supply chain disruptions.
The advancement of hydrogen-powered drones could transform the way military operations are conducted, offering greater autonomy, stealth and energy efficiency.
If production reaches planned volumes, the United States will be able to significantly expand its air capabilities without compromising the sector's energy security.
With information from Interesting Engineering.
