Tel Aviv: The introduction into service of a new highly classified UAV will increase the number of total flight hours performed by UAV in the Israeli air force (IAF). The current number is 80 % of the flying hours performed by the total fleet, manned and unmanned of the force.
Earlier this week the Israeli air force (IAF) officially received the new UAV that is defined as a “game changer” in combat. The IAF’s 144th Squadron, also known as the Phoenix Squadron, at the Hatzor Air Force Base hosted the official ceremony marking the introduction of the classified UAV into service.
The Spark UAV is made for a variety of tasks, such as intelligence gathering, ground force support, targeting, and other things. Its pacifications and the details of the payloads it carries are highly classified.
According to an IAF official release, the “Nitzoz” ( Spark) is a part of the “Orbiter” model family, made by the “Aeronautics” company, an Israeli company owned by Rafael.
The new highly classified UAV will be integrated in the IAF’s “Storm Clouds” program aimed at introducing more very advance autonomous systems that will work together to achieve faster sensor to shooter sequences with more precision.
Other capabilities incorporated in the new UAV are highly classified and built to answer operation scenarios projected for the next 10 – 15 years.
-The writer is an Israel-based freelance journalist. The views expressed are of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the views of Raksha Anirveda
