Aircraft & UAVs

IAI Searcher UAV

Also known as
  • IAI Searcher
  • Searcher II
  • Searcher III

The IAI Searcher is an Israeli tactical UAV family built by Israel Aerospace Industries for surveillance, reconnaissance, target acquisition, artillery adjustment, and battle-damage assessment. Searcher Mk II and Mk III extended the line with longer endurance, heavier payload options, and export service, including Sri Lankan Air Force use in the civil war and Azerbaijani reconnaissance/fire-control use in the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh war.

IAI Searcher UAV, Tactical reconnaissance unmanned aerial vehicle, Aircraft & UAVs
Image source: Commons RSAF Searcher II at Fort Sill

Role in Conflicts

1983 Sri Lankan Civil War
Reconnaissance & Surveillance
Side
Sri Lankan government forces

Sri Lanka Air Force No. 111 UAV Squadron used Searcher Mk II UAVs during the final government offensive against the LTTE, providing real-time intelligence and surveillance over LTTE-controlled areas.

Profile / Specs

Profile

Origin
Israel
Type
Tactical reconnaissance unmanned aerial vehicle
Service note
Searcher I and II operational from the 1990s; documented in Sri Lankan and Azerbaijani conflict service
Designer
Israel Aerospace Industries
Designed
Searcher I operational by 1992; Searcher II operational by 1998
Unit cost
Reported unit cost: about US$6.0 million (Searcher Mk II)
Produced
1990s onward; Mk II and Mk III export variants documented

Specifications

Crew
None onboard; remotely operated from a ground control station
Mission payloads
EO/IR, SAR/GMTI, SIGINT, and customer-furnished payload options depending on variant
Searcher Mk II/PASI endurance
15 hours in Spanish Army Mk-IIJ/PASI service; other Searcher II references report about 15-16 hours
Searcher Mk II/PASI range
Spanish Army lists 350 km with relay for the Mk-IIJ/PASI configuration
Searcher Mk III endurance
About 18 hours in published Mk III reference data
Ceiling
About 20,000 ft for Spanish Mk-IIJ/PASI; up to about 23,000 ft in Mk III reference data
Maximum takeoff weight
426 kg for Spanish Mk-IIJ/PASI; about 436 kg in Mk III reference data
Payload
45 kg maximum payload in Spanish Mk-IIJ/PASI service; up to about 120 kg in Mk III reference data
Dimensions
About 5.9 m long with an 8.5-8.6 m wingspan, depending on source and variant
Variants

Searcher designations cover the base Searcher, the longer-running Mk II/Searcher II export aircraft, the Mk III/Searcher III update, and the Russian Forpost derivative built from the Searcher II line.

VariantConfigurationDesignation notes
SearcherBase tactical UAV

Searcher I was operational in Israeli service by 1992, after earlier Israeli Mastiff and Scout UAV experience.

Sources: An Historical Analysis of Israeli Drone Use, 1971-2014

Searcher Mk IIImproved Searcher II / Mk-IIJ export family

The Searcher II line became operational by 1998; Spanish Army pages identify the PASI as an IAI Searcher Mk-IIJ RPAS used for ISTAR missions.

Sources: An Historical Analysis of Israeli Drone Use, 1971-2014, Spanish Army - UAV Searcher MK II J

Searcher Mk IIIMk III / Searcher III ISR update

Israeli Ministry of Defense export material describes the Mk III with SAR/GMTI, SIGINT, and EO/IR payload configurations, composite construction, a low-noise four-stroke engine, and redundant automatic takeoff-and-landing systems.

Sources: IAI Searcher Mk III - Israel at Aero India 2017

Forpost, Reconnaissance and strike unmanned aerial vehicle, Aircraft & UAVsForpostRussian Searcher II derivative

Janes describes Forpost-R as an indigenized Russian variant of the Forpost, itself the Israeli Searcher Mk II assembled under licence using IAI-manufactured components.

Sources: Ukraine conflict: Russia employs Forpost-R UCAV

Timeline

IAI Searcher UAV Key Events

  1. Searcher I operational in Israeli service

    A British Journal for Military History study places Searcher I operational service in 1992 as part of Israel's post-Mastiff and Scout UAV lineage.

    Sources: An Historical Analysis of Israeli Drone Use, 1971-2014

  2. Searcher II enters operational service

    The same study places Searcher II operational service in 1998, before later export and derivative production lines.

    Sources: An Historical Analysis of Israeli Drone Use, 1971-2014

  3. Searcher Mk II IOC

    Deagel lists Searcher Mk II initial operational capability in 2003 and describes it as the Israel Air Force's ground-surveillance replacement for the Mk I.

    Sources: Searcher

  4. Searcher Mk III IOC

    Deagel lists Searcher Mk III initial operational capability in 2010 and notes its winglets, quieter engine, composite materials, and redundant ATOL avionics.

    Sources: Searcher

  5. Azerbaijan orders Mk III aircraft

    Deagel says Azerbaijan ordered five Searcher Mk III aircraft in 2011.

    Sources: Searcher

  6. Sri Lankan squadron reports wartime Searcher Mk II use

    Sri Lanka Air Force anniversary reporting said No. 111 UAV Squadron flew Searcher Mk II UAVs extensively during the final government offensive against the LTTE.

    Sources: No. 111 Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Squadron celebrates 4 years of Service

  7. Used in Nagorno-Karabakh

    Valdai describes Azerbaijani Searcher UAVs as part of the reconnaissance and fire-control fleet used in the 2020 war.

    Sources: Unmanned Aerial Vehicles over Nagorno-Karabakh

Variant Split

Searcher references do not always use the same date convention. The rows below separate Israeli service-history dates, export-operator specifications, and later derivative naming.

LineDocumented notesReader takeaway
Searcher I / IIIsraeli service-history research places Searcher I in operational service in 1992 and Searcher II in 1998.These dates describe operational service rather than every later export configuration.
Searcher Mk-IIJ / PASISpanish Army pages identify PASI as an IAI Searcher Mk-IIJ RPAS and list ISTAR service with EO/FLIR control from a ground station.Spanish figures are useful operator data, but they should not be treated as universal for every Searcher II airframe.
Searcher Mk IIIIsraeli export material describes SAR/GMTI, SIGINT, and EO/IR configurations, composite construction, a quieter four-stroke engine, and redundant ATOL systems.The Mk III row captures the higher-capability ISR update without implying an armed strike role.
Forpost, Reconnaissance and strike unmanned aerial vehicle, Aircraft & UAVsForpostJanes identifies Forpost and Forpost-R as Russian derivatives of the Searcher Mk II licence-production line.Combat use of Forpost is tracked on the Forpost page, not copied into Searcher conflict rows.

Sources: An Historical Analysis of Israeli Drone Use, 1971-2014; Spanish Army - UAV Searcher MK II J; IAI Searcher Mk III - Israel at Aero India 2017; Ukraine conflict: Russia employs Forpost-R UCAV.

Media

IAI Searcher UAV Videos

IAI Searcher UAV Images

IAI Searcher UAV, Tactical reconnaissance unmanned aerial vehicle, Aircraft & UAVs - view 1
Source: Commons IAI Searcher 2
IAI Searcher UAV, Tactical reconnaissance unmanned aerial vehicle, Aircraft & UAVs - view 2
Source: Commons Spanish Army Searcher II
IAI Searcher UAV, Tactical reconnaissance unmanned aerial vehicle, Aircraft & UAVs - view 3
Source: Commons Indian Searcher Mk II Parade
Related Weapon Systems
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IAI Heron TP, Strategic medium-altitude long-endurance UAV, Aircraft & UAVsAircraft & UAVsIAI Heron TPStrategic medium-altitude long-endurance UAVThe IAI Heron TP is the large strategic member of Israel Aerospace Industries' Heron UAV family, known in Israeli Air Force service as Eitan. It is built for long-range, high-altitude intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition, reconnaissance, and multi-payload missions, with official specifications listing a 5,670 kg maximum takeoff weight, more than 30 hours endurance, beyond-line-of-sight SATCOM operation, and payload capacity far above the smaller Heron 1. Conflict sourcing ties the type to Israeli Operation Cast Lead ISR, Iron Swords surveillance sorties, and Operation Rising Lion missions over Iran, while official German program sources document a customized German Heron TP configuration for Bundeswehr ISR service.
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.
Forpost, Reconnaissance and strike unmanned aerial vehicle, Aircraft & UAVsAircraft & UAVsForpostReconnaissance and strike unmanned aerial vehicleForpost is Russia's license-built and later indigenized derivative of the Israeli IAI Searcher II UAV, used for reconnaissance, target acquisition, artillery-fire adjustment, and in Forpost-R form armed strike missions. Russian forces have used Forpost-family aircraft in Ukraine since the 2014 phase of the war and later employed the Forpost-R as a higher-value reusable UAV for surveillance and precision attack rather than as an expendable one-way drone.
IAI Harop, Long-range loitering munition, Aircraft & UAVsAircraft & UAVsIAI HaropLong-range loitering munitionThe IAI Harop is an Israeli long-range loitering munition that combines UAV-style search and surveillance with an expendable precision-strike role. Israel Aerospace Industries presents it as a second-generation electro-optical attack system launched from land or naval canisters, controlled by a remote human operator, and able to attack high-value targets from multiple dive angles. Direct public sourcing ties Harop to Azerbaijan's 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh campaign and India's 2025 Operation Sindoor.

Sources

No. 111 Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Squadron celebrates 4 years of ServicePublisher: Sri Lanka Air Force | Note: Supports 1983 Sri Lankan Civil War direct use: Sri Lanka Air Force says No. 111 UAV Squadron flew Searcher Mk II UAVs during the final government offensive against the LTTE, providing visual intelligence to army commanders and SLAF fighter squadrons. | Accessed: 2026-07-13No 111 UAV Squadron at SLAF Base Vavuniya Celebrates its 9th AnniversaryPublisher: Sri Lanka Air Force | Note: Supports 1983 Sri Lankan Civil War direct use: Sri Lanka Air Force says No. 111 UAV Squadron used Searcher Mk II UAVs over LTTE-controlled terrain for real-time intelligence and surveillance during the final government offensive. | Accessed: 2026-07-13IAI Searcher Mk III - Israel at Aero India 2017Publisher: SIBAT / Israel Ministry of Defense | Note: Supports Searcher Mk III mission roles, SAR/GMTI, SIGINT, and EO/IR configurations, low-noise four-stroke engine, composite construction, adverse-weather capability, dual ATOL systems, and redundant avionics. | Accessed: 2026-07-13Spanish Army - UAV Searcher MK II JPublisher: Spanish Army | Note: Supports Searcher Mk II J origin, Spanish/IAI manufacture context, 20,000 ft ceiling, 15-hour autonomy, 350 km range with relay, four air platforms, 8.5 m wingspan, 426 kg maximum takeoff weight, 45 kg maximum payload, and PASI Spanish designation. | Accessed: 2026-07-13An Historical Analysis of Israeli Drone Use, 1971-2014Publisher: British Journal for Military History | Note: Supports Israeli UAV service-history context, including IDF/IAF operation of Mastiff, Scout, and Searcher, and Searcher I and Searcher II becoming operational in 1992 and 1998. | Accessed: 2026-07-13Ukraine conflict: Russia employs Forpost-R UCAVPublisher: Janes | Note: Supports the Searcher II-to-Forpost lineage and general Searcher/Forpost mission-role context; direct Forpost conflict use remains tracked on the separate Forpost record. | Accessed: 2026-07-13Searcher IIPublisher: Israeli-Weapons.com | Note: Supports Searcher Mk II mission roles, payload options, endurance, range, altitude, weight, dimensions, and Israel Aircraft Industries production context. | Accessed: 2026-07-13SearcherPublisher: Deagel | Note: Supports secondary Searcher family background, IAI contractor attribution, Deagel IOC framing, Searcher II and III reference specifications, operator list, reported unit cost, and Azerbaijan's 2011 Mk III order. | Accessed: 2026-07-13Unmanned Aerial Vehicles over Nagorno-KarabakhPublisher: Valdai Discussion Club | Note: Supports 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict direct use: IAI Searcher was used by Azerbaijani forces for reconnaissance and fire control in the 2020 fighting. | Accessed: 2026-07-13The Air and Missile War in Nagorno-KarabakhPublisher: Center for Strategic and International Studies | Note: Supports broader background on UAV, missile, artillery, and air-defense roles in the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh war. | Accessed: 2026-07-13Commons RSAF Searcher II at Fort SillPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports image provenance for a public-domain U.S. Army photograph of an IAI Searcher II UAV. | Accessed: 2026-07-13Commons IAI Searcher 2Publisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports image provenance and CC BY-SA 3.0 licensing for an IAI Searcher 2 UAV photograph. | Accessed: 2026-07-13Commons Spanish Army Searcher IIPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports image provenance and CC BY 2.0 licensing for a Spanish Army IAI Searcher II photograph. | Accessed: 2026-07-13Commons Indian Searcher Mk II ParadePublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports image provenance for a Searcher Mk II UAV photographed at India's 2007 Republic Day parade. | Accessed: 2026-07-13