Electronic Warfare

ELINT

Also known as
  • Electronic intelligence
  • Aeronautics ELINT
  • ELINT payload
  • SIGINT/ELINT payload

ELINT is the electronic-intelligence payload category Aeronautics lists for several Israeli unmanned aircraft, including Orbiter 2 ISR, Orbiter 3, Orbiter 4, Orbiter 5, Aerostar NG, Dominator, Octoper, and Octoper Hybrid. The company presents it as one sensor fit within broader ISTAR payload suites rather than as a standalone weapon system.

ELINT, Electronic intelligence payload, Electronic Warfare
Image source: Commons Orbiter 2 Finnish Display Image
Payload Context

Aeronautics presents ELINT as part of its unmanned-aircraft sensor menu for intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition, and reconnaissance missions. The published pages identify ELINT by function and carrier compatibility, while detailed antenna, receiver, and processing specifications are not published for the generic payload option.

Mission function

Electronic intelligence collection from an unmanned carrier platform.

Carrier class

Mini, small tactical, long-range tactical, MALE, and multirotor UAS platforms in Aeronautics' portfolio.

Published boundary

The source-backed record documents payload compatibility, not an independently verified conflict-use claim for the ELINT payload itself.

Profile / Specs

Profile

Origin
Israel
Type
Electronic intelligence payload
Service note
2020s

Specifications

Function
Electronic intelligence (ELINT) payload
Catalog-linked carrier platforms
Orbiter 2 ISR mini UAS; Orbiter 3 small tactical UAS; Aerostar NG tactical MALE UAS; Orbiter 4 long-range tactical UAS
Additional Aeronautics listings
Orbiter 3 VTOL, Orbiter 4 VTOL, Orbiter 5, Dominator, Octoper, and Octoper Hybrid also list ELINT among available sensor or payload options
Carrier payload limit
Up to 1.8 kg on Orbiter 2; up to 12 kg on Orbiter 4
Carrier endurance
Up to 3 hrs on Orbiter 2; more than 24 hrs on Orbiter 4
Carrier datalink
LOS up to 50 km on Orbiter 2; LOS up to 150 km or BLOS on Orbiter 4
Listed alongside
EO/IR, COMINT, EW, SAR, MPR, AIS, IFF, WAMI, radio relay, and SIGINT payload options depending on carrier
RF integration example
CRFS reported RFeye integration on the Aerostar UAV range for SIGINT/ELINT detection, capture, and geolocation tasks
Carrier UAV

Aeronautics lists ELINT as an available payload on the Orbiter family and Aerostar NG.

CarrierCarrier typeCarriage evidence
Aeronautics Orbiter 2, Mini unmanned aerial system, Aircraft & UAVsAeronautics Orbiter 2Mini UAS

Aeronautics lists ELINT as an available payload on Orbiter 2 ISR.

Sources: Orbiter 2

Aeronautics Orbiter 3 UAV, Small tactical unmanned aircraft system, Aircraft & UAVsAeronautics Orbiter 3 UAVSmall tactical UAS

Aeronautics lists ELINT as one of the Orbiter 3 payload options on the base and VTOL product pages.

Sources: Orbiter 3, Orbiter 3 VTOL

Aeronautics Orbiter 4, Long-range tactical unmanned aerial system, Aircraft & UAVsAeronautics Orbiter 4Long-range tactical UAS

Aeronautics lists ELINT among Orbiter 4's available sensors and payloads on the base and VTOL product pages.

Sources: Orbiter 4, Orbiter 4 VTOL

Aeronautics Aerostar NG, Tactical MALE UAS, Aircraft & UAVsAeronautics Aerostar NGMALE UAS

Aeronautics lists ELINT among the Aerostar NG's available sensors and payloads.

Sources: Aerostar NG

Aeronautics Platform Coverage

The linked carrier list covers existing public catalog records for Orbiter 2 ISR, Orbiter 3, Orbiter 4, and Aerostar NG. Aeronautics also lists ELINT for the Orbiter 3 VTOL and Orbiter 4 VTOL configurations, the larger Orbiter 5 and Dominator platforms, and the Octoper multirotor family.

  • Orbiter 3 VTOL and Orbiter 4 VTOL keep their family payload menus while adding vertical takeoff and landing flexibility.
  • Orbiter 5 extends the Orbiter line into a higher-endurance tactical UAS with multiple simultaneous payloads and a 600 W payload power claim.
  • Dominator is a DA42-based MALE UAS with much larger payload capacity and a sensor menu that includes ELINT, COMINT, SIGINT, EW, SAR, and maritime-patrol options.
  • Octoper and Octoper Hybrid list ELINT beside COMINT, EW, SIGINT, AIS, EO/IR, and radio-relay options for multirotor tactical missions.
  • CRFS reported a 2023 RFeye integration on Aeronautics' Aerostar range for SIGINT/ELINT signal detection, capture, and geolocation missions.
Media

ELINT Images

ELINT, Electronic intelligence payload, Electronic Warfare - view 1
Source: Commons Azeri Orbiter Parade Image
ELINT, Electronic intelligence payload, Electronic Warfare - view 2
Source: Commons Aeronautics Orbiter UAV Image
ELINT, Electronic intelligence payload, Electronic Warfare - view 3
Source: Commons Serbian Orbiter Image
Related Weapon Systems
Aeronautics Orbiter 2, Mini unmanned aerial system, Aircraft & UAVsAircraft & UAVsAeronautics Orbiter 2Mini unmanned aerial systemThe Aeronautics Orbiter 2 is an Israeli fixed-wing mini-UAS for tactical ISR, target acquisition, surveillance, and payload-flexible mission support. Current Aeronautics material presents the Orbiter 2 ISR as a 13 kg, catapult-launched system with EO/IR, electronic-intelligence, communications-intelligence, electronic-warfare, video-processing, and jammer payload options, while Azerbaijan assembled Orbiter-family UAVs through Azad Systems and fielded Orbiter-2 reconnaissance drones in the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh war.
Aeronautics Orbiter 3 UAV, Small tactical unmanned aircraft system, Aircraft & UAVsAircraft & UAVsAeronautics Orbiter 3 UAVSmall tactical unmanned aircraft systemThe Aeronautics Orbiter 3 is a fully electric, runway-independent small tactical UAS built for ISTAR missions and modular payloads. Aeronautics now advertises up to 10 hours of endurance, launcher-and-parachute recovery or an add-on VTOL kit, and payload options that include EO/IR, ELINT, COMINT, EW, SAR, VMD, and MTI. Azerbaijan fielded Orbiter 3s in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, and Aeronautics later announced Greek procurement activity in 2023.
EO/IR with Laser Pointer, Electro-optical/infrared sensor payload with laser pointer, Aircraft & UAVsAircraft & UAVsEO/IR with Laser PointerElectro-optical/infrared sensor payload with laser pointerEO/IR with Laser Pointer is Aeronautics' electro-optical and infrared sensor payload listing for the Orbiter 2 ISR mini-UAS, not a standalone aircraft or munition. Official product material places the payload beside ELINT, COMINT, EW, ATR, VMD, onboard tracker, and communication-jammer options, while independent upgrade coverage describes the Orbiter 2 payload set as including an electro-optical payload with a laser pointer.

Sources

Orbiter 2Publisher: Aeronautics Defense Systems | Note: Supports the Orbiter 2 ISR payload list, including ELINT, and the platform's published specifications. | Accessed: 2026-07-04Aerostar NGPublisher: Aeronautics Defense Systems | Note: Supports the Aerostar NG platform overview, manufacturer background, published specifications, and the ELINT payload option. | Accessed: 2026-07-04Orbiter 3Publisher: Aeronautics Group | Note: Supports the Orbiter 3 platform overview and the listed ELINT payload option. | Accessed: 2026-07-04Orbiter 3 VTOLPublisher: Aeronautics Group | Note: Supports the Orbiter 3 VTOL payload list, including ELINT, and the vertical-takeoff configuration context. | Accessed: 2026-07-04Orbiter 4Publisher: Aeronautics Group | Note: Supports the Orbiter 4 payload list, including ELINT, and the published carrier platform specifications. | Accessed: 2026-07-04Orbiter 4 VTOLPublisher: Aeronautics Group | Note: Supports the Orbiter 4 VTOL payload list, including ELINT, and the shorter-endurance VTOL configuration context. | Accessed: 2026-07-04DominatorPublisher: Aeronautics Group | Note: Supports the Dominator MALE UAS sensor list, including ELINT, and the published payload-capacity context. | Accessed: 2026-07-04Orbiter 5Publisher: Aeronautics Group | Note: Supports the Orbiter 5 payload list, including ELINT, and the platform's published endurance, MTOW, speed, altitude, and payload-power context. | Accessed: 2026-07-04OctoperPublisher: Aeronautics Group | Note: Supports the Octoper payload list, including ELINT, and the tactical multirotor platform context. | Accessed: 2026-07-04Octoper HybridPublisher: Aeronautics Group | Note: Supports the Octoper Hybrid payload list, including ELINT, and the hybrid multirotor platform context. | Accessed: 2026-07-04CRFS RFeye Aerostar IntegrationPublisher: EDR Magazine | Note: Supports a 2023 Aerostar-range RFeye integration example for SIGINT/ELINT signal detection, capture, and geolocation missions. | Accessed: 2026-07-04Aeronautics Aero India Payload OverviewPublisher: sUAS News | Note: Supports historical Aeronautics platform context for Orbiter, Aerostar, and Dominator payload options including electronic-intelligence sensors. | Accessed: 2026-07-04Orbiter 2 BrochurePublisher: Aeronautics Defense Systems | Note: Supports the Orbiter 2 payload list, including ELINT, and the published MTOW, payload weight, endurance, and LOS datalink figures. | Accessed: 2026-07-04Commons Orbiter 2 Finnish Display ImagePublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports image provenance for the primary Orbiter 2 image used on the ELINT support page. | Accessed: 2026-07-04Commons Azeri Orbiter Parade ImagePublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports image provenance for the Azerbaijani Orbiter image used in the ELINT gallery. | Accessed: 2026-07-04Commons Aeronautics Orbiter UAV ImagePublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports image provenance for the Aeronautics Orbiter image used in the ELINT gallery. | Accessed: 2026-07-04Commons Serbian Orbiter ImagePublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports image provenance for the Serbian Orbiter image used in the ELINT gallery. | Accessed: 2026-07-04