Aircraft

Israel Aerospace Industries has unveiled what it believes to be a unique combination using hand-launched unmanned air vehicles and autonomous surface-to-surface missiles to provide fire support for ground forces. The company released details of its Mosquito UAV and Jumper vertically launched missile system on 2 September.

The miniature Mosquito weighs around 450g (15.9oz) and has a wing span of about 30cm (11.8in). It carries a miniature video camera and has an endurance of 1h. Each air vehicle is launched by hand, and is recovered at the end of its mission by landing on skids.

© Israel Aerospace Industries

An operating concept for the design would see it used to locate targets for a "hive" of three Jumper canisters, each of which contains eight missiles linked via an integrated command and control unit.

The Jumper system requires no operating crew, but would be capable of delivering weapons with pinpoint accuracy, IAI claims.

Each missile is 1.8m (5.9ft) long, has a diameter of 150mm and weighs 63kg (139lb). The design uses GPS/INS guidance and four steering fins on its tail, and can also be equipped with a laser designator. Range is cited as 50km (27nm), with several possible warhead options available.

"The Jumper system gives the manoeuvring force commander autonomous, immediate and precise fire power in all kinds of weather and visibility conditions," says an Israeli army source.