.Israeli air force pilots elbowed aside by drones
TEL AVIV — Israel's Air Force is now making greater use of unmanned aerial vehicles than manned aircraft.
Officials said the use of UAVs increased dramatically in 2005. They said that UAVs comprised 18,000 out of 28,000 operational flight hours last year, or 65 percent.
"Most of the flights have been over the Gaza Strip," a military source said. "We've found that UAVs provide the same or better reconnaissance coverage that manned aircraft with far less danger to crews from surface-to-air missiles."
Officials said the air force decreased the use of manned fixed-wing or rotary aircraft over the Gaza Strip in 2005 amid the assessment that the Palestinians acquired an undetermined number of SA-7 anti-aircraft missiles. The number of such missiles was said to have increased in wake of the Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip in September 2005.
The military has determined that the air force UAVs could perform the work of three manned reconnaissance aircraft. Officials said two UAVs could provide constant surveillance over an area that would have normally required six imagery intelligence aircraft.
The air force has been modernizing its UAV fleet and acquired new platforms in 2005. Officials said the service acquired the Heron-1 and Shoval UAVs. The Shoval, or Trail, was meant to replace the Searcher as the main unmanned reconnaissance platform.
In February 2006, a Shoval UAV on a mission over the West Bank city of Ramallah was detected to have lost oil pressure and then sustained engine failure. The Shoval was directed to a nearby army base. The mishap was attributed to human error.
Israel Aircraft Industries, the leading supplier of UAVs to the air force, has been the prime contractor for the Shoval. IAI plans to modify the UAV platform to prevent a repeat of engine failure.
Officials said the air force plans to deploy an advanced variant of Shoval. The service has already tested the new model, followed by the first procurement in late 2006.
IAI has also been developing the air force's first unmanned combat aerial vehicle, or UCAV. Termed Eitan, or Heron-2, Eitan, meant for deep strike and maritime patrol missions, was expected to fly later this year and would carry a payload of 1,800 kilograms at a cruising speed of 240 knots.
World Tribune
Fly the friendly skies.
Officials said the use of UAVs increased dramatically in 2005. They said that UAVs comprised 18,000 out of 28,000 operational flight hours last year, or 65 percent.
"Most of the flights have been over the Gaza Strip," a military source said. "We've found that UAVs provide the same or better reconnaissance coverage that manned aircraft with far less danger to crews from surface-to-air missiles."
Officials said the air force decreased the use of manned fixed-wing or rotary aircraft over the Gaza Strip in 2005 amid the assessment that the Palestinians acquired an undetermined number of SA-7 anti-aircraft missiles. The number of such missiles was said to have increased in wake of the Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip in September 2005.
The military has determined that the air force UAVs could perform the work of three manned reconnaissance aircraft. Officials said two UAVs could provide constant surveillance over an area that would have normally required six imagery intelligence aircraft.
The air force has been modernizing its UAV fleet and acquired new platforms in 2005. Officials said the service acquired the Heron-1 and Shoval UAVs. The Shoval, or Trail, was meant to replace the Searcher as the main unmanned reconnaissance platform.
In February 2006, a Shoval UAV on a mission over the West Bank city of Ramallah was detected to have lost oil pressure and then sustained engine failure. The Shoval was directed to a nearby army base. The mishap was attributed to human error.
Israel Aircraft Industries, the leading supplier of UAVs to the air force, has been the prime contractor for the Shoval. IAI plans to modify the UAV platform to prevent a repeat of engine failure.
Officials said the air force plans to deploy an advanced variant of Shoval. The service has already tested the new model, followed by the first procurement in late 2006.
IAI has also been developing the air force's first unmanned combat aerial vehicle, or UCAV. Termed Eitan, or Heron-2, Eitan, meant for deep strike and maritime patrol missions, was expected to fly later this year and would carry a payload of 1,800 kilograms at a cruising speed of 240 knots.
World Tribune
Fly the friendly skies.
posted by madtom at 7:22 PM
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