Mistral and Uvision have cleared a key production milestone for the US Army’s Lethal Unmanned System (LUS) program after the Hero-120 loitering munition passed its first lot acceptance tests.
The tests verify that production systems meet the army’s performance requirements before they are accepted for delivery, supporting the service’s effort to field organic precision strike capabilities across its formations.
The companies jointly provide the Hero-120 to the service, with Mistral serving as the prime contractor and Uvision acting as the system’s design authority. Uvision also oversees the loitering munition’s development, manufacturing, and delivery.
“Mistral and Uvision are proud to support this army program and remain focused on providing warfighters with the tools they need to win the fight,” Mistral senior vice president Yoav Banai said.
Hero-120
The Hero-120 is part of the Israeli-German HERO family of loitering munitions, designed to give commanders real-time precision-strike options beyond traditional artillery.
Designed for mid-range missions, the Hero-120 combines reconnaissance and strike functions in a single system, allowing operators to identify, track, and engage targets while retaining control throughout the mission.
The loitering munition can remain airborne for about an hour, carries a 10-pound (4.5-kilogram) warhead, and can be controlled using compatible loitering munition controllers within range.
In 2023, the US Marine Corps equipped one of its Long-Range Unmanned Surface Vessels with Hero-120 loitering munitions, adding a precision-strike capability to its autonomous maritime fleet.
