View source for SAGEM Sperwer

{{Short description|Dutch UAV}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2025}}
{{Use British English|date=June 2022}}
{{Infobox aircraft
 |name = Sperwer
 |image = File:SPERWER B P1220856.jpg
 |caption = Sperwer B on its launch rail
 |more_users = [[Canadian Armed Forces]] (Retired)
 |developed_into=
 |type = [[Reconnaissance aircraft]]/[[UAV]]
 |manufacturer = [[SAGEM]]
 |designer =
 |first_flight =
 |introduction =
 |retired =
 |status =
 |primary_user = [[French Army]]
 |produced =
 |number_built =
 |developed_from=
 |variants =
}}

The '''SAGEM Sperwer''' (Pronounced ''Spehr-wuhr'', Dutch for [[Accipiter|Sparrowhawk]]) is an [[unmanned aerial vehicle]] manufactured by the French firm [[SAGEM]]. The aircraft is piloted remotely and can cruise at altitudes of over 16,000 feet for as long as five hours. It can send back images of targets up to 150 kilometers away from its ground control station.

==Operational history==
The Sperwer is currently in service with the [[French Army]] (61<sup>e</sup> régiment d'artillerie), the [[Royal Netherlands Air Force]], [[Swedish Air Force]], [[United States Air National Guard]], [[Hellenic Army]] (Greece) with the Netherlands in the process of removing them from front line use.

[[Canadian Armed Forces]] operated the Sperwer in Afghanistan between 2003 and its last mission on 18 April 2009 when it was replaced with the Israeli built [[IAI Heron]].<ref name="Flt8">{{cite web|url = http://web.ncf.ca/fn352/flight8/recent.html#UAV|title = Canadian Forces Briefing on UAVs|access-date = 2009-06-30|last = [[Canadian Owners and Pilots Association|COPA]] Flight 8|date=June 2009}}</ref>

The [[Royal Danish Army]] also bought Sperwer, but a series of problems forced the Ministry of Defence to cancel the programme and sell the remainder to Canada. As well the Danish Army no longer operate any aircraft and there are no plans for UAVs by the [[Royal Danish Air Force]].  Canada itself removed the Sperwers from front-line use in 2009, while the Netherlands was planning to phase its Sperwer drones out of front line use in March 2009 in favor of rented UAVs from Israel's [[Aeronautics Defense Systems Ltd]].

==Operators==
;{{CAN}}
:[[Canadian Armed Forces]]. Designated '''CU-161''' in service; retired.
;{{DEN}}
:[[Danish Army]]. Programme cancelled.
;{{FRA}}
:[[French Army]]. In service with three more ordered and an option on another five, all with enhanced sensors.<ref>[http://www.brahmand.com/news/French-Army-to-procure-more-Sperwer-drones-from-Sagem/6382/3/13.html French Army to procure more Sperwer drones from Sagem]</ref>
;{{GRE}}
:[[Hellenic Army]]. In service.
;{{NLD}}
:[[Royal Netherlands Air Force]]. Retired.
;{{SWE}}
:[[Swedish Army]]. Designated '''UAV01 Ugglan''' (the Owl) in service; retired.
;{{USA}}
:[[Air National Guard]].{{Citation needed|date=November 2010}}

==Aircraft on display==
Six of the retired Sperwers can be found in Canadian museums:<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.aviation.technomuses.ca/media/press_releases/24feb10/|title=Canada Aviation and Space Museum|access-date=19 February 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120306014636/http://www.aviation.technomuses.ca/media/press_releases/24feb10/|archive-date=6 March 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref>

*[[AirForce Museum Society of Alberta]] – serial number 026<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.facebook.com/pages/Calgary-AB/AirForce-Museum-Society-of-Alberta/110387785669001#!/album.php?aid=9688&id=110387785669001|title=AirForce Museum Society of Alberta|via=Facebook|access-date=19 February 2015}}</ref>
*[[Canada Aviation and Space Museum]] – serial number 001<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.army.forces.gc.ca/land-terre/news-nouvelles/transcription-eng.asp?id=4292|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110610131820/http://www.army.forces.gc.ca/land-terre/news-nouvelles/transcription-eng.asp?id=4292|url-status=dead|archive-date=2011-06-10|title=Transcript and Help {{!}} Canadian Army {{!}} National Defence and the Canadian Forces|date=2011-06-10|access-date=2018-08-07}}</ref>
*[[National Air Force Museum of Canada]] – serial number 007<ref name="AirForceMuseum">{{cite web|url = http://picasaweb.google.com/JeanGuy.pitre/ATripToCFBTrentonAndCanadianAirForceMuseum#5512847227758541138|archive-url = https://archive.today/20130124153302/http://picasaweb.google.com/JeanGuy.pitre/ATripToCFBTrentonAndCanadianAirForceMuseum%235512847227758541138#5512847227758541138|url-status = dead|title = Sperwer Photo|access-date = 4 September 2010|last = Pitre|first = Jean-Guy|date = September 2010|archive-date = 24 January 2013}}</ref>
*[[Greenwood Military Aviation Museum]] − 161026 and spare parts from 028<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.gmam.ca/sperwer.html|title=Sperwer|website=Greenwood Military Aviation Museum|language=en-CA|access-date=2016-08-31}}</ref>

Two of the retired Sperwers can be found in Dutch museums:
*[[Nationaal Militair Museum]], former [[Soesterberg Air Base]] Netherlands – serial number Z061<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nmm.nl/zoeken-in-de-collectie/detail/571627/|title=Onbemand verkenningsvliegtuig Short Range Tactical Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (SRTUAV) SAGEM Sperwer V60303 AV-061 registratie Z061 bijnaam 'Anjing Nica'|website=Nationaal Militair Museum|language=nl|access-date=2020-09-10}}{{Dead link|date=March 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>
*Artillery Museum, Netherlands – serial number Z051<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bottercourant.nl/nieuws/algemeen/18235-een-nieuwe-aanwinst-voor-het-artilleriemuseum|title=Nieuwe aanwinst voor het artilleriemuseum|website=Botter courant|language=nl|access-date=2018-10-23}}</ref>

==See also==
{{Portal|Aviation}}
{{aircontent
|related=
|similar aircraft=
|lists=
* [[List of active Canadian military aircraft]]
|see also=
}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Sagem Sperwer}}
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20051026003657/http://www.defense-update.com/products/s/sperwer.htm Sperwer Update]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20051224115649/http://www.defense-update.com/features/du-2-05/feature-sensor.htm UAV payload applications]
* Defense Industry Daily – [http://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/Dutch-to-Rent-Israeli-UAVs-for-Afghanistan-05254/ Dutch to Rent Israeli UAVs for Afghanistan]
* Defense Industry Daily – [http://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/Canada-Contracts-for-Heron-UAVs-05024/ Canada Contracts for Heron UAVs]

{{SAGEM}}
{{Canadian Forces aircraft}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sagem Sperwer}}
[[Category:1990s French military reconnaissance aircraft]]
[[Category:Unmanned military aircraft of France]]
[[Category:SAGEM aircraft|Sperwer]]
[[Category:V-tail aircraft]]