Previously there were only indications, subtle ones. Now it is said openly - Rafael, one of Israel's leading manufacturers of weapons systems, has decided to develop a new line of products fully suited for use on unmanned air systems (UAS).
In the past, a very recent past, Rafael has said that it "adapts" some existing weapons systems for use on UAS.
The Israeli company has developed some very advanced weapons systems, such as the Python-5 and Derby air-to-air missiles, the Spice add-on kit for bombs, the Spike missile that is currently used on helicopters, and others that are still classified.
The growing use in the world of armed UAS for different types of missions has spurred the evaluation of the international market for these downsized weapons systems.
Israel has never revealed any programmes of armed UAS. Foreign sources have reported on Israeli UAS performing "surgical" attacks on targets in the Gaza Strip.
Rafael has downsized full-size intelligence-gathering payloads carried by fighter aircraft for use on UAS. The best example is the company's Recce-U, a downsized version of its Reccelite tactical reconnaissance pod.
The change is natural. As UAS become direct substitutes to manned aerial platforms for many types of missions, the need for dedicated "tools" is obvious.
It can be assessed that the Israeli company, with its vast, almost unparalleled experience in developing very special weapons systems, will make a major effort to answer that growing need.
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