New Fleet of Israeli UAV's

Israel's air force on Sunday introduced a fleet of huge pilotless planes that can remain in the air for a full day and could fly as far as the Persian Gulf, putting rival Iran within its range.

The Heron TP drones have a wingspan of 86 feet (26 meters), making them the size of Boeing 737 passenger jets and the largest unmanned aircraft in Israel's military. The planes can fly at least 20 consecutive hours and are primarily used for surveillance and carrying diverse payloads.

news.yahoo.com...
www.jpost.com...

Looks like their gearing up for something big. A 737 is pretty big, surely they can use these to carry wmd's..

Maybe there's some weight to their threat of attacks on Iranian nuclear facilities..

Interesting...


[edit on 22-2-2010 by BiGGz]

I guess we now know why they haven't attacked yet. How many do they have? Can you imagine being an Iranian and you look at your radar screen and see thousands of these things coming in... and no loss of pilots... all are hidden in Israel playing "video games" so to speak.

Indeed.With their size they can carry quite a payload and no worry of a pilot.

Originally posted by AlreadyGone
I guess we now know why they haven't attacked yet. How many do they have? Can you imagine being an Iranian and you look at your radar screen and see thousands of these things coming in... and no loss of pilots... all are hidden in Israel playing "video games" so to speak.

simple arm missiles and fire everything you have at Israel

Originally posted by illusive man

simple arm missiles and fire everything you have at Israel

if only it was that simple

[edit on 22-2-2010 by BiGGz]

Originally posted by illusive man
simple arm missiles and fire everything you have at Israel

Iran doesn't have the capability any more than Iraq had the capability. Iran's much-touted missile and nuclear capability (much-touted by IRAN, not by anyone else) is a cloud of transparent LIES, as usual.

Nobody takes Iran's hollow sword-rattling seriously, not even Israel; however, if Israel perceives Iran as a threat, we know that Israel has the advanced technology to blast Tehran back to the Stone Age — we know that, because we gave it to them.



— Doc Velocity

And if you think that Iran does not have a large fleet of Russian Made Jet-Drones the same size...you're burying your head in the sand...in other words, at least according to Tehran, two can play the Drones the Size of Jets Game...(or what Oil Rich Ahmadinijab Ministers like to call, 'Pin The Tail on the Ashkenaz')

www.spacewar.com...

And once they get some Russian made nukes in their arsenal...well, well, game over, people...

reply to post by Doc Velocity


way to go and bury your head in the sand
who would have thought one could compare Iran and Iraq togather

How would these do against Iran's defenses, like surface to air missiles? Doesn't Iran have Russian made air defense systems? Would these be able to fly undetected by their current radar technology? The drone is huge and from what I can tell (I am no expert, just curious) not stealthy at all; so why would some of you say that this is what they where waiting for to attack?

I have to say that drones from any country fascinate me. Speaking in technological terms. That is one big drone though. Maybe a pilot-less fighter next?

Originally posted by 3vilscript I have to say that drones from any country fascinate me. Speaking in technological terms. That is one big drone though. Maybe a pilot-less fighter next?

Too true my friend.

Here in GB UK Ltd, we have been quietly working away on such a project.

Based at RAF Boscombe Down on Salisbury Plain and other airfields, there have been tests involving Tornado ADV aircraft being controlled by a mother ship flying several hundred miles distant.

These tests physically involved two aircraft, one being controlled by the other, with four or five computer generated aircraft also being controlled by said mother ship.

These tests were 18 months to 2 years ago, and I have heard nothing more about them since.

Then of course, there is our Teranis Project. Very advanced program and nearing fruition.

Watch the skys, my friend.

Big and slow.

The 20 hour endurance means low fuel consumption with a small engine.
So a thing that size with one small pusher prop, and a small engine, makes it easy to see, and being slow, very easy to shoot down.

Ideal for high altitude reconnaissance, but hardly ideal for ground attack against a well defended target.

If it comes in high, it will be visible (on radar) for a very long time before it is even over target.
If it comes in slow at treetop level, you could shoot it down with small arms.

For a heavily defended ground target, you need a proper well armed high performance fighter/bomber, with all the electronic counter measures (ECM).
It needs to be fast and agile.

That thing is a TURKEY.


[edit on 23/2/2010 by Silver Shadow]

reply to post by Silver Shadow


I doubt the Israelis would be so stupid as to send them in before achieving air superiority or without defeating the surface to air missile batteries in the region against which they're deployed. This isn't really a first strike weapon and from the statements in the article, the Israelis seem to realize that. I would guess that they would use it primarily for reconnaissance and to occasionally defeat certain ground targets, much the way Predator drones are used, and note that the Predator drones are big, slow 'targets' themselves, but used properly, they're still pretty effective.

[edit on 23-2-2010 by vor78]

So what you are saying is, they will send in the fast manned fighter jets to attack and knock out the entire air defense system first.

Then when the entire Iranian Air force and missile system has been destroyed, then they will send in a bunch of slow unmanned drones to drop the bombs on the real targets.

I don't think so.

reply to post by Silver Shadow


Actually, yes, that's usually the way it works. Most likely they would make an effort to suppress the air defenses in the local airspace where they plan to operate any more vulnerable aircraft. Whether they would be successful or not is anyone's guess.

The alternative would be to send in slow, large drone aircraft with no cover for the Iranians to use as target practice.

Well, that would be an entirely new and untried strategy.

Maybe some third world nation could launch a few of these slow drone turkeys and destroy an entire US carrier battle fleet ?

If they are that good, why not ?

Why use incredibly fast sunburn missiles, if a large, visible, and slow propeller driven drone can do the same job.

The fact is, against a heavily defended target these drones have zero chance.

Their only use is high altitude reconnaissance, and strikes against an unarmed civilian enemy.
Israel has them, because that is what they do, slaughter defenseless civilians.

Against a proper modern air force, or missile defense system they have no chance.

Originally posted by Silver Shadow
Well, that would be an entirely new and untried strategy.

I don't know where you get that. The first move of any air force in war will be to gain air superiority. That includes not only defeating the enemy air force, but also suppressing any air defense sites along the air corridor in which they plan to operate. After that's done, vulnerable aircraft such as these drones would be safe to operate in the region.

In fact, this is exactly what the Israelis did to the Soviet built Syrian air defense network in their 1982 war against Lebanon.

Otherwise, you're right about the drones, but I don't know why you're arguing because I indicated the same role in my first response. These are primarily reconnaissance aircraft with some light offensive capabilities that can be used to defeat targets of opportunity that may arise when a proper strike aircraft is not immediately available.

[edit on 24-2-2010 by vor78]

Drones like this are perfect in loitering over low-intensity battlefields, patiently waiting for targets like rocket and mortar crews that use scoot-and-shoot... And to provide overwatch (Anti-tank support) for infantry on defense

Originally posted by northwolf
Drones like this are perfect in loitering over low-intensity battlefields, patiently waiting for targets like rocket and mortar crews that use scoot-and-shoot... And to provide overwatch (Anti-tank support) for infantry on defense

Yes I agree Northwolf.
Over a LOW intensity (guerrilla type) ground war or a civilian population, at high altitude they would be a very cheap and efficient solution.

In a fast all out high technology air war, against say, a US carrier battle fleet, or any modern military equipped with radar directed anti aircraft fire, fighter jets, and target seeking SAM missiles, they have no chance.

Maybe some third world nation could launch a few of these slow drone turkeys and destroy an entire US carrier battle fleet ?

If they are that good, why not ?

its iran that said it will distroy the us fleet and there drones have jets and jets are not slow and if you read the link you can see the pik of the drone so think and read all the links befor you post