Canadair CL-89
Jointly developed surveillance drone for divisional intelligence gathering.
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San Diego Air & Space Museum Archives · Public domain
The Canadair CL-89 was a surveillance drone developed in the 1960s through a partnership between Canada, Britain, and West Germany. It was meant to gather information at the divisional level for NATO forces. A bigger, upgraded version with more carrying capacity, the CL-289, came later.
CL-89
The project began in June 1963 when Canada and Britain agreed to have Canadair design and test the drone, based on an earlier study for a message-carrying vehicle. West Germany joined later; the United States was invited but declined. The first test flight, in March 1964 at Yuma, Arizona, went poorly.
The British insisted the whole system—drone, launcher, recovery gear, and support equipment—be made simple enough for soldiers to operate reliably. They assigned an army officer to Canadair, who helped set up a maintenance advisory group that proved very effective. The CL-89’s development was so difficult it nearly got scrapped.
The first complete system went to West Germany in 1969. During the 1970s, France and Italy also began operating it. NATO called the whole setup AN/USD-501; in British service it was known as Midge (Military Intelligence & Data Gathering Equipment).
In the British Royal Artillery, a troop with two launchers, image processing facilities, and repair shops ran the system, staffed by two officers and about 70 soldiers. Tasking came from the divisional artillery intelligence cell, mainly to confirm suspected enemy positions, especially artillery. Midge replaced the Northrop Radioplane SD-1 (called "Observer") and was later replaced by Phoenix.
It saw operational use in Kuwait in 1991, particularly effective when paired with artillery raids. In the German Army, a battery in the divisional observation battalion handled it, with six officers and roughly 120 soldiers. Logistics support for all user nations came through NAMSA.
CL-289
The CL-289 began design in 1974, and a production agreement among Canada, West Germany, and France was signed in November 1987. It was larger than the CL-89, with better range and payload, intended for corps-level intelligence.
Though it looked similar, many design changes were made. It entered service in November 1990, designated AN/USD-502. At least nine CL-289s were shot down by the Yugoslav Army during the 1999 NATO bombing of Yugoslavia.
Background
In June 1963, a sponsorship by Canada and Britain agreed to have Canadair design, evaluate and test the CL-89 drone. The concept had been developed at Canadair from the CL-85, a study for the carriage of dispatches. West Germany later joined the group, and although the United States was invited to join, they declined.
The first, less than successful flight was made at Yuma, Arizona in March 1964. The British wanted changes in the system to be 'Soldier Proof', sending an army officer to Canadair to set up a maintenance advisory group which had excellent results. The CL-89 had a difficult development and was almost abandoned.
The first complete CL-89 system was supplied to the West Germans in 1969. During the 1970s, both France and Italy joined the British and West Germans in operating the CL-89. NATO gave the entire system the designation AN/USD-501; in UK service it was known as the Midge. In Royal Artillery service, Midge was operated by a troop in a divisional locating battery, with two launchers and facilities for processing imagery and repair.
The troop comprised two officers and about 70 soldiers. In German Army service, CL-89 was operated by a battery in the divisional observation battalion with six officers and about 120 soldiers. Logistic support was provided through NAMSA.
Description
The cylindrical body had four stub-wings at the rear of the fuselage, with aerodynamic trim provided by smaller canard foreplanes. The drone looked and flew like a missile and was launched from truck-mounted rails, cruising under jet power. Takeoff was achieved by a booster rocket, which was jettisoned when flight speed was attained; a small turbojet then took over. The flight pattern was programmed, allowing for flight to target areas, sensor runs, and return to the recovery site.
On arrival, the motor cut and a drogue parachute deployed, slowing the drone and causing it to invert. Pneumatic landing bags were released before ground contact. A camera or sensor could be fitted to the CL-89.
The programmed flight path was constrained by a very limited number of 'events' that could be programmed, including turns, altitude changes, sensor activations, and landing. The flightpath had to be corrected for meteorological conditions using a standard artillery Target Acquisition meteor message. Two types of sensors were used: standard black and white film (with flares for night use) and infrared linescan. Three types of sensors were used with British Drone Troops: Vinten (day sensor), Zeiss (day and night), and IRLS (day and night).
Frequently Asked Questions
Which armies operated the CL-89?
The drone entered service with the Canadian, British, German, French, Italian, and Turkish armies. In British Army use it carried the service name 'Midge,' and a single UK troop was staffed by just two officers.
When did the CL-89 first fly and when was it delivered?
The initial test flight took place in March 1964 at Yuma, Arizona, though that first attempt did not go well. The first complete operational system was not fielded until 1969, giving the program roughly five years of further development.
What NATO designation did the CL-89 receive?
Under the NATO standardization system the drone was assigned the code AN/USD-501. The United States was invited to join the tripartite development effort but ultimately declined to participate.
More in Military Drones of Asia, Europe and the Americas
Sources
Compiled from Wikipedia and the sources listed below. Text from Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is adapted from it.
- Wikipedia: Canadair CL-89 (CC BY-SA 4.0).
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