| CL-227 Sentinel | |
|---|---|
| General information | |
| Type | Unmanned reconnaissance helicopter |
| National origin | Canada |
| Manufacturer | Canadair |
| Number built | 1 |
| History | |
| First flight | 25 August 1978 |
The CL-227 Sentinel is a remote-controlled unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) made by Canadair.
It displays a distinctively unusual bulbous peanut shaped profile which gave it its nickname of the flying peanut. Lift is provided by a set of coaxial rotors emanating from the waist of the system. The engine air is exhausted upwards to minimize the infrared signature. The blades are made of composite materials as well as all the external skin and legs, in an attempt to reduce the radar signature. The main structure is made mostly of aluminium.
The CL-227 was designed in 1977, and the "phase one" prototype made its first flight on 25 August 1978; the larger production "phase two" vehicle first flew untethered on 14 December 1981.[1] Following evaluation by NATO in March 1982,[1] and was made available to NATO allied clients in the early 1980s. In the late 1990s it was replaced by an updated version, the CL-327.