Omanghana
The United Arab Emirates-based defense conglomerate EDGE Group has delivered six ANAVIA HT-100 NAVAL unmanned helicopters to the Angolan Navy, marking a significant stage in the country’s €1 billion naval modernization program.
The delivery followed successful Factory Acceptance Trials conducted from August 24 to 28, 2026, at ANAVIA’s facilities in Bilten, Switzerland. The exercise included the first operational flight tests of all six aircraft and was witnessed by representatives of the Angolan Navy and Simportex, Angola’s state enterprise responsible for acquiring equipment and services for the country’s defense and security institutions.
The unmanned vertical takeoff and landing aircraft will be installed aboard three BR71 MK II Combattante corvettes being supplied to Angola under the broader defense agreement. Two HT-100 NAVAL systems will be assigned to each of the 71-metre multi-mission vessels.
The aircraft will be connected to the corvettes’ combat management systems and equipped with electro-optical and infrared sensors. This arrangement is expected to extend the ships’ surveillance and reconnaissance range while improving the navy’s ability to monitor Angola’s territorial waters.
The systems could also strengthen operations against piracy, illegal fishing and other maritime crimes. They are expected to support search-and-rescue missions and help protect Angola’s strategically important offshore oil and gas installations.
Manufactured by Swiss company ANAVIA, a subsidiary of EDGE Group, the HT-100 NAVAL was designed specifically for shipborne operations. It has a maximum takeoff weight of about 120 kilograms, can carry payloads of up to 60 kilograms and offers a flight endurance of approximately six hours.
The naval variant also features an autonomous radar-guided deck-landing system, corrosion-resistant components and sealed electronics suitable for demanding marine environments. It can take off and land vertically, allowing it to operate from vessels without conventional runways.
The three corvettes are being supplied through EDGE Group’s naval division, Abu Dhabi Ship Building. The first vessel, NRA Ekuikui II, has already been launched in Cherbourg, France. The second is being constructed by ADSB in Abu Dhabi, while the third is being built by French shipbuilder CMN Naval in Cherbourg.
Following the delivery of the unmanned helicopters, the next phase will involve installing the aircraft and associated systems aboard the corvettes. Sea trials will subsequently be conducted in Angola before the combined platforms enter operational service.
The program forms part of Angola’s wider effort to modernize its naval forces, improve maritime awareness and strengthen security along its Atlantic coastline.
Source: Omanghana
