| Lihiniya MK 1 | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Lihiniya MK I | |
| Role | Unmanned aerial vehicle Type of aircraft |
| National origin | Sri Lanka |
| Manufacturer | Sri Lanka Air Force Centre for Research and Development |
| Primary user | Sri Lanka Air Force |
| Developed into | Lihiniya MK II |
TheLihiniya MK 1 (Sinhala:ලිහිණියා මාක් 1) is anunmanned aerial vehicle under development by theSri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) and theCentre for Research and Development (CRD) as an experimental platform to test technologies for its indigenous UAV program.[1]
During the civil war the SLAF used UAVs for reconnaissance operations. They used drones from US and Israel such as theIAI Searcher, E.M.I.T Blue Horizon 2 and theRQ-2 Pioneer. In 2010 the Sri Lanka Air Force started to build the prototypes of a new locally made UAV under the supervision of the Air Chief Marshal.
The aircraft is aHTOL UAV with ahigh wing,twin-boom tail and a singlepusher engine. The Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) developed by the CRD consists of the UAV aircraft, twoground control stations (GCS) and a mobile Advanced Ground Control Station (AGCS). The data from this UAS program is being used for the development of theLihiniya MK II which will have a range of 100km.[1][2]
Lihiniya MK1 deployed toNo. 111 Squadron SLAF inSLAF Base Vauniya. In 2022 Remote triggering mechanism for aerial firing introduced to Lihiniya UAVs.[3]
Data from Performance Report 2018 Ministry of Defence for Lihiniya MK I Phase 2 unless specified.[1]
General characteristics
Performance
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