The Israeli Air Force (IAF) is replacing its manned Sea Scan maritime patrol aircraft with Israel Aerospace Industries' (IAI) maritime version of the Heron 1 (Shoval) unmanned air vehicle systems.

The maritime Heron 1 system was on display at IMDEX ASIA 2017 in Singapore on 16th-18th May.

The IAF has ordered additional Heron 1 UAV systems equipped with a maritime radar and electro-optical payload that will make them more suitable for their growing role in carrying out routine maritime patrol and intelligence-gathering missions.

The maritime model of Heron 1 consists of an advanced electro-optical payload - the Multi-mission Optronic Stabilized Payload (MOSP), made by the TAMAM division of IAI, and the lightweight airborne maritime surveillance radar made by ELTA.

The Heron 1 recently celebrated 10 years in service with the IAF. The platform has recently been deployed to Mali by Germany in support of the MINUSMA United Nations mission. Other Heron operators include Singapore and Australia.