History of Unmanned Combat Air Vehicles - Israel

Israel

The first time UAVs were used as proof-of-concept of super-agility in combat flight simulations was with tailless, Stealth-Technology-based three-dimensional Thrust Vectoring flight control was in Israel in 1987 . Israel is interested in armed UAVs and it is believed that IDF drones have been used to perform precision strikes in Lebanon and the Gaza Strip. Israel has customized the Elbit Hermes 450 UAV to carry two Hellfire missiles and this UCAV has been fully operational for several years.

IAI recently rolled out the Eitan, a huge UCAV with anti-ballistic and assault capabilities. The Eitan has a wingspan of 26 meters and a takeoff weight of four tons, about four times the weight of the largest UAV now in the Israel Air Force. According to the Israeli Air Force, the aircraft has advanced avionics on a level similar to that of systems that operate on fighter-jets, operates with complete autonomy and allows the operator to focus more on performing the mission and less on flying the air platform. Industry sources have said that the Eitan would be a multi-purpose UCAV that could carry out reconnaissance and attack missions, including the ability to locate and destroy mobile ballistic missile launchers.

Israeli officials have for several years been interested in a large, piston-powered UCAV that would loiter at high altitude and dispense smart munitions as required by ground or other forces, acting basically as a flying fire-support base.

At present the Israelis are keeping very quiet about specifics. The Israelis are very enthusiastic about UAVs, seeing them as the way of the future, since they will permit Israel to perform surveillance, strike, and other missions with much less risk to personnel and at a fraction of the acquisition and operational cost of manned aircraft.