Israel Developing Massive New Unmanned Aerial Vehicle

IAI also produces the Mosquito UAV.

by Staff Writers
Jerusalem (AFP) Jan 08, 2007
Israel is developing the world's largest unmanned aircraft which will be used for long-range operations and destroying ballistic missiles as they are being launched, a security official said Monday. The Eitan has been developed by the Israel Aircraft Industries and has a wing span of 35 metres (110 feet) -- similar to that of a Boeing 737 passenger plane -- the official told AFP.

According to the Yediot Aharonot daily, the drone was designed for long endurance and high altitude flights and is equipped with an array of advanced cameras and missiles which allow it to identify and intercept long-range missiles as they are being fired on the ground.

It will make its maiden flight in the coming days, the paper said.

Israel has stepped up in recent years the development of technologies to face the threat of missile attacks, fearing most notably Iran, which has acquired long-range ballistic missiles able to reach Israel and beyond.

Coupled with President Mahmud Ahmedinejad's calls for the destruction of Israel, Iran's controversial nuclear programme, which Israel claims is aimed at acquiring an atomic bomb, has become the Jewish state's main strategic threat.

Iran, which last year tested the Shahab-3 missiles which are capable of hitting targets around 2,000 kilometers away, nevertheless insists the programme is aimed solely for peaceful means.

Source: Agence France-Presse

UAV NEWS

Boeing Provides ScanEagle UAV to Australian Army

Brisbane, Australia (SPX) Jan 05, 2007
Boeing Australia Limited announced it has been awarded a contract to provide reconnaissance and surveillance services to the Australian Army using the ScanEagle autonomous unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). The services provided by ScanEagle are currently being used in southern Iraq by Australian soldiers operating with the Overwatch Battle Group (West)-2 in Operation Catalyst.

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