Israel unveils new drone fleet that can reach Iran

BBC News ^ | Feb 22, 2010 | BBC News

[BP2]

The Israeli Air Force has introduced a fleet of pilotless aircraft that can stay in the air for nearly a day and fly as far as the Gulf.

The Eitan drones, which have a wingspan of 86ft (26m), are the size of Boeing 737 passenger jets.

They can reach an altitude of more than 40,000ft (12,000m) and fly for more than 20 consecutive hours.

AP quoted defence officials as saying the planes could provide surveillance and jam enemy communications.

Israel, along with the US and other Western nations, believes Iran is trying to develop nuclear weapons and has repeatedly suggested it could attack the country if diplomatic attempts to curb the programme fail.

At the fleet's inauguration ceremony at an airbase in central Israel, IAF commander Maj Gen Ido Nehushtan said the new drone "has the potential to be able to conduct new missions down the line as they become relevant".

Israeli officials refused to say how large the new fleet was.

[BP2]

The drones don't appear to be stealth. But if some of the drones possess radar-jamming capabilities and/or radar-seeking missiles, the Israel's may have an effective way to reach out and do what the UN and US is unwilling to do — cripple the Iranian nuclear weapons program.

[Wiz]

What can you do with 1 ton payload? Israel needs something to carry bunker busters, and MOP at the best to penetrate the underground nuclear facilities.

[Wiz]

ping

[freedumb2003]

>>The drones don’t appear to be stealth.<<

When you are the size of a 737, you don’t need stealth — you just have to shoot first! :)

[BP2]

> What can you do with 1 ton payload?

Not much in terms of bunker busting. I think the drones would be mostly for prior surveillance or part of a larger strike package.

If the Israelis attached 4-6 Derbies — with active radar-seeking warheads — to each drone, they can punch a good hole in the Iranian coastal defense to then make an effective strike run with their F-15I Ra'am Thunders.

The F-15Is have an unclassified range of 2800 miles, and can pull off the bunker busting with their air-to-ground capability. With a little midair refueling — which the Ra'ams can do — it would work.

[ChrisInAR]

They are relatively easy to shoot down due to their large size, aren’t they? Too bad they weren’t made much smaller.

[chuck_the_tv_out]

That’s the payload/range part.

[mkjessup]

Load them all with 100 percent certified pork by-products and launch 'em all in a mass air strike 'Operation P4TPP'*.


[* P4TPP = Pork 4 Those Persian Pricks]

[2harddrive]

Do you think the Israeli drones can carry tactical nukes? Bet they CAN!

[gaijin]

The fact that the IDF has the range to strike Iran is strictly speaking not news. About 8 months ago the IDF took out some Sudani baddies smuggling lethal gear to other powers hostile to Israel.

You’d only have to break out a map and do a Israel/Sudan vs. Israel/Iran comparison to see the writing on the wall.

Also —didn’t the Eitan come out some time ago?

I’m not saying this is a bad post, but isn’t this just sabre rattling? And if it is, why are the Israelis doing that?

That sabre-rattling pattern is much more characteristic of the Iranians than the Israelis. Why didn’t Israel boast of their ability to take out that Hamas guy?

Because they really INTENDED to (and did).

[BP2]

> Do you think the Israeli drones can carry tactical nukes? Bet they CAN!

Yes possible small payloads of a single small nuke, but the Israelis would have to fly very, very, VERY low to keep the drone from being seen by fixed ground-based radar. Lower altitude also means reduced range.

As it appears the new Eitan is a turboprop like its predecessor — the Heron TP, which is rated at 136 knots TAS at 28,000' — the new drone's top speed is not enough to outrun even the lowliest MiG (or F-4, F-5 or F-14 still in service in Iran) that would be launched if a single Iranian ground soldier makes visual contact.

[Jewbacca]

At 40,000 feet and cheaper than a missle that can reach that high, quanity will probably be plentiful.

I also call B.S. on a 2,000 lb payload. I suspect they can be gutted of electronics and carry 10,000lb — turning this whole thing into a giant cruise missle dropping from 40,000 feet.

[ChrisInAR]

I hope you’re right. That would be AWESOME!

[Jewbacca]

I am no longer in the loop re: Iranian SAMs, but their primary defense was the Rapier, which topped out at about 10,000 feet.

The Russian S-300 variants Iran has obtained over the years (from Soviet client nations and, more recently, from Russia), however, can reach out and touch these planes with little problem.

The Grumbler (as they are called in Israel) is a very potent SAM.

They are self-contained and require little maintenace, making them ideal for muslim nations (that tend not to take care of their equipment).

The newest ones have some amazing missle-contained radars that threaten Stealth aircraft.

A massive attack, with drones overwhelming the SAMS (getting them to fire) would be in order.

[ChrisInAR]

I hope the Israelis will be able to produce enough drones to overwhelm the Iranian SAM’s like you say.

Has Israel not been able to make smaller-sized drones (which would be more difficult for the SAM’s to hit, possibly???), or would decreasing their size defeat the purpose of needing more firepower to use against Iran?

[Jewbacca]

Sure, there are plenty of small drones, but you have to be have some size to travel 1000 miles or so (one way, and that’s over Iraq).

Fuel.

[Dem Guard]

Load them all with 100 percent certified pork by-products and launch 'em all in a mass air strike 'Operation P4TPP'*.

Pork from the Jewish State of Israel?? ;-)

[mkjessup]

(shhhhh ... it’s *Kosher* pork ... ;)

[Dem Guard]

Hogs dressed up in black hats, long side burns, and beards
then. ;-)