Posted on 08/05/2010 11:21:48 AM PDT by Reaganite Republican
Israel recently rolled-out the latest version of what's already considered the world's best unmanned aircraft, the IAI Heron. The new Israeli drone -dubbed Heron TP (Eitan in Hebrew)- has a wingspan almost as long as a Boeing 737... can stay in the air for over 36 hours... and is more than capable of reaching Iran.
The 4.5 ton Heron TP carries a one-ton payload of bombs or missiles, and Iran's nuclear facilities are well within it's offensive range. But AWACS-style recon would be it's most logical role, as Israel is likely to to use manned and unmanned aircraft together on missions: Heron TP not only jams enemy radar ahead of the fighters' arrival, but provides real-time electronic eavesdropping intelligence and GPS data on precisely what needs to be vaporized... special extended-range F-15s and F-16s then proceed to drop "smart bomb" guided munitions on those same coordinates.
Impressively, Heron TP can operate at altitudes above commercial air traffic (40,000 ft+), features all-weather capability, de-icing systems, automatic takeoff and landing systems, and triple-redundant avionics. A single turboprop engine is mounted in the rear fuselage, driving a pusher propeller. Construction throughout is of composite materials.
Apart from its intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition, and reconnaissance (ISTAR) role, the Heron TP may even be used for aerial refuelling, as-well as armed roles including missile defense and long-range strategic strikes... as noted above.
More on the likelihood of an Israeli attack on Iran -here-
Try to prove where the drone came from.
I think the Israelis are at least partially already set up in Georgia... they’ve got a lot of stuff there, including fighter aircraft last time I heard
Does it have an eye in the sky so we can watch its flight? Could put it on pay per view. I’d pay.
Oh, it has all sorts of eyes, LOL
IMO looks kind of cool, the thing’s huge too
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