IAI Searcher vs Northrop Grumman MQ-4C Triton

FORCETALLY

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IAI Searcher — licensed reference photograph

ADrones & UAVs

IAI Searcher

Reconnaissance UAV

Credit

Itayba · Public domain · Resized · Public domain · Source ↗ · Modified

Northrop Grumman MQ-4C Triton — licensed reference photograph

BDrones & UAVs

Northrop Grumman MQ-4C Triton

Maritime unmanned surveillance and reconnaissance aerial vehicle and patrol aircraft

Credit

U.S. Navy · Public domain · Resized · Public domain · Source ↗ · Modified

First system

Second system

At a glance

Side by side

Length comparisonOne shared metre scale

IAI SearcherLength

5.85 m

Length source ↗

Northrop Grumman MQ-4C TritonMQ-4C · Length

14.5 m

Length source ↗

Lengths retain their source configuration and measurement scope.

Measured figures

Head to head

14 of 44 rows sourced on both sides

5.85m

14.5mMQ-4C · Length

Length

All recorded figures & sources

5.85 m

Length

Single source

5.85 m (19 ft 2 in)^[source]

14.5 m

MQ-4C · Length

Single source

Configuration

Details

IAI Searcher and Northrop Grumman MQ-4C Triton configuration
Specification	IAI Searcher	Northrop Grumman MQ-4C Triton
Crew	Unmanned^[source]	Unmanned – 4 personnel fly aircraft from ground station^[source]
Type	Reconnaissance UAV^[source]	Maritime unmanned surveillance and reconnaissance aerial vehicle and patrol aircraft^[source]
National origin	Israel^[source]	United States^[source]
Manufacturer	IAI^[source]

Primary users	Sri lanka^[source]	United States Navy Royal Australian Air Force^[source]

Introduction date	Searcher 1 - 1992 Searcher 2 - 1998^[source]	May 2018^[source]

Capacity	68 kg (150 lb) payload^[source]	—

Propellers	Born Propeller 120cm 3 blade adjustable pitch^[source]	—

Loiter speed	110 to 150 km/h; 69 to 92 mph (60 to 80 kn)^[source]	—

Former operator · India	India^[source]	—

Former operator · Singapore	Singapore^[source]	—

Role	reconnaissance UAV^[source]	—

Source measurement	The Searcher looks almost identical to the Scout and Pioneer , but is in fact scaled up and is well over twice the size of the Scout. The Searcher is powered by a 35 kW (47 hp ) piston engine. The new design features updated avionics and sensor systems with greater flight endurance as well as increased redundancy for improved survivability. In addition to Israel, the system had been exported and is or was in use by Singapore and Turkey , as well as Thailand , Russia , India , South Korea , and Sri Lanka .^[source]IAI Searcher · Design; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage 10 June 2002 – Searcher Mark-II, operated by Indian Air Force for reconnaissance, was shot down by a Pakistan Air Force F-16B using AIM-9L Sidewinder at an altitude of 13,000 ft, after it was spotted by the mobile observation units.^[source]IAI Searcher · Crashes; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage 11 July 2018 – A Russian "Forpost" UAV was found on 12 July in a field close to the village of Barqah, about 12 kilometres from the Israeli side of the Golan Heights (Syria) but none of the belligerents claimed the shot-down nor the loss.^[source]IAI Searcher · Crashes; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage 18 March 2024 – a Searcher Mk-II drone of the Indian Navy crashed while landing after a routine training sortie at INS Garuda. The UAV touched the ground about one mile short of the runway at 5 pm IST . No injuries or damage to property has been reported. A team was immediately dispatched to render the UAV safe.^[source]IAI Searcher · Crashes; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage Capacity: 68 kg (150 lb) payload^[source]IAI Searcher · Specifications / Searcher II MK3; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage Length: 5.85 m (19 ft 2 in)^[source]IAI Searcher · Specifications / Searcher II MK3; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage Wingspan: 8.55 m (28 ft 0 in)^[source]IAI Searcher · Specifications / Searcher II MK3; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage Height: 1.25 m (4 ft 1 in)^[source]IAI Searcher · Specifications / Searcher II MK3; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage Gross weight: 450 kg (992 lb)^[source]IAI Searcher · Specifications / Searcher II MK3; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage Payload: 120 kg (260 lb)^[source]IAI Searcher · Specifications / Searcher II MK3; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage Powerplant: 1 × Limbach L 550 , 35 kW (47 hp)^[source]IAI Searcher · Specifications / Searcher II MK3; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage Propellers: Born Propeller 120cm 3 blade adjustable pitch^[source]IAI Searcher · Specifications / Searcher II MK3; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage Maximum speed: 201 km/h (125 mph, 110 kn)^[source]IAI Searcher · Specifications / Searcher II MK3; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage Range: 350 km (220 mi, 190 nmi)^[source]IAI Searcher · Specifications / Searcher II MK3; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage Endurance: 20 hours^[source]IAI Searcher · Specifications / Searcher II MK3; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage Service ceiling: 6,100 m (21,000 ft)^[source]IAI Searcher · Specifications / Searcher II MK3; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage Loiter speed: 110 to 150 km/h; 69 to 92 mph (60 to 80 kn)^[source]IAI Searcher · Specifications / Searcher II MK3; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage According to a YouTube video and information published by the Russian Ministry of Defense on March 13, 2022 (three weeks after the start of Russo-Ukrainian war ), Russian armed forces have used an armed version of the Forpost-R to destroy a multiple launch rocket system of the Ukrainian army from an altitude of 3,000 m using guided missiles.^[source]IAI Searcher · Forpost-R; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage In March 2025, an export version of the Forpost-R, known as Forpost-RE, was unveiled at the IDEX 2025 military booth in Dubai . On April 20, 2025, Ukraine claimed to intercept and shot down a Russian "Forpost" at an altitude of 4 km for the first time using an interceptor drone.^[source]IAI Searcher · Forpost-R; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage	—

Source measurement

The Searcher looks almost identical to the Scout and Pioneer , but is in fact scaled up and is well over twice the size of the Scout. The Searcher is powered by a 35 kW (47 hp ) piston engine. The new design features updated avionics and sensor systems with greater flight endurance as well as increased redundancy for improved survivability. In addition to Israel, the system had been exported and is or was in use by Singapore and Turkey , as well as Thailand , Russia , India , South Korea , and Sri Lanka .^[source]IAI Searcher · Design; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage

10 June 2002 – Searcher Mark-II, operated by Indian Air Force for reconnaissance, was shot down by a Pakistan Air Force F-16B using AIM-9L Sidewinder at an altitude of 13,000 ft, after it was spotted by the mobile observation units.^[source]IAI Searcher · Crashes; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage

11 July 2018 – A Russian "Forpost" UAV was found on 12 July in a field close to the village of Barqah, about 12 kilometres from the Israeli side of the Golan Heights (Syria) but none of the belligerents claimed the shot-down nor the loss.^[source]IAI Searcher · Crashes; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage

18 March 2024 – a Searcher Mk-II drone of the Indian Navy crashed while landing after a routine training sortie at INS Garuda. The UAV touched the ground about one mile short of the runway at 5 pm IST . No injuries or damage to property has been reported. A team was immediately dispatched to render the UAV safe.^[source]IAI Searcher · Crashes; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage

Capacity: 68 kg (150 lb) payload^[source]IAI Searcher · Specifications / Searcher II MK3; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage

Length: 5.85 m (19 ft 2 in)^[source]IAI Searcher · Specifications / Searcher II MK3; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage

Wingspan: 8.55 m (28 ft 0 in)^[source]IAI Searcher · Specifications / Searcher II MK3; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage

Height: 1.25 m (4 ft 1 in)^[source]IAI Searcher · Specifications / Searcher II MK3; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage

Gross weight: 450 kg (992 lb)^[source]IAI Searcher · Specifications / Searcher II MK3; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage

Payload: 120 kg (260 lb)^[source]IAI Searcher · Specifications / Searcher II MK3; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage

Powerplant: 1 × Limbach L 550 , 35 kW (47 hp)^[source]IAI Searcher · Specifications / Searcher II MK3; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage

Propellers: Born Propeller 120cm 3 blade adjustable pitch^[source]IAI Searcher · Specifications / Searcher II MK3; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage

Maximum speed: 201 km/h (125 mph, 110 kn)^[source]IAI Searcher · Specifications / Searcher II MK3; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage

Range: 350 km (220 mi, 190 nmi)^[source]IAI Searcher · Specifications / Searcher II MK3; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage

Endurance: 20 hours^[source]IAI Searcher · Specifications / Searcher II MK3; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage

Service ceiling: 6,100 m (21,000 ft)^[source]IAI Searcher · Specifications / Searcher II MK3; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage

Loiter speed: 110 to 150 km/h; 69 to 92 mph (60 to 80 kn)^[source]IAI Searcher · Specifications / Searcher II MK3; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage

According to a YouTube video and information published by the Russian Ministry of Defense on March 13, 2022 (three weeks after the start of Russo-Ukrainian war ), Russian armed forces have used an armed version of the Forpost-R to destroy a multiple launch rocket system of the Ukrainian army from an altitude of 3,000 m using guided missiles.^[source]IAI Searcher · Forpost-R; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage

In March 2025, an export version of the Forpost-R, known as Forpost-RE, was unveiled at the IDEX 2025 military booth in Dubai . On April 20, 2025, Ukraine claimed to intercept and shot down a Russian "Forpost" at an altitude of 4 km for the first time using an interceptor drone.^[source]IAI Searcher · Forpost-R; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage

—

Status	—	Limited service^[source]

Number built	—	US: 68 (planned) + 2 prototypes Australia: 3 delivered out of 4 ordered^[source]

Manufactured	—	48 as of 2024^[source]

First flight	—	22 May 2013 ( 2013-05-22 )^[source]

Developed from	—	Northrop Grumman RQ-4 Global Hawk^[source]

Alternative designation	—	MQ-4C Triton^[source]

Reported operators	Reported operator · Azerbaijan Reported operator · Canada Reported operator · Cyprus Reported operator · Ecuador Reported operator · India Reported operator · Indonesia Reported operator · Israel Reported operator · Republic of Korea Reported operator · Russia Reported operator · Spain Reported operator · Sri Lanka Reported operator · Syria Reported operator · Thailand	—