Arie Egozi: October 2012 Archives

Four years after Israel was downgraded to safety category two no-one knows when this embarrassing situation will end.

Israel, a country with a high-tech industry, was brought to this situation because of years of negligence by law makers.

The Israeli aviation law from 1927 was replaced by a new one but the regulations that will make it applicable are still debated in different committees of the Israeli parliament.

The anachronistic aviation law was one of the reasons for demoting Israel to category two. A new law is in the approval process in the Israeli parliament.

Other issues are dealt with in close co-operation with the US Federal Aviation Administration, but it will take time to make many amendments.

The downgrade is not only hurting the national pride of Israel, it is affecting the operations of EL AL on the route to the USA and its codeshare agreement with American Airlines.

The CAA has formed a special team that is working on the other seven key issues that were the basis for the downgrade. These are mainly connected to regulations and their enforcement with operators.

The fact that four years after the FAA's decision, Israel is still in category two proves that, over the years, many people that were in charge failed to do their job and brought Israel to a situation where it is taking years to correct the way in which the issues were dealt with.

So, Israel is still in category two and no-one can be sure when this will change.

A recent visit to the Israeli police air unit has again proved that the transition from helicopters to unmanned air systems (UAS) for homeland security and police missions is not a simple one.

During the visit to the highly classified unit, which operates police missions and what is generally referred to as homeland security - or more bluntly anti-terror missions - this problem became very clear.

The unit commander revealed that the Elbit Systems SkyLark 1 - used by the infantry units of the Israeli defence forces (IDF) - was evaluated, adding: "[The police] found that it does not answer our needs. But we are looking for some unmanned systems."

The high-ranking officer said he prefers a larger UAS - not a "personal" one that gives soldiers "behind the hill" capability.

"We think that for our needs we will prefer a larger UAS operated from a base and with the capability to transmit real-time video to anywhere it is needed," he adds.

Israeli UAS manufacturers see the air unit of the Israeli police as a good potential customer, and there is no doubt that some other systems will be evaluated soon.

One other factor works in favor of UAS in police missions in Israel - the unit does not perform rescue missions. These are performed by the Israel air force's 669 squadron, which operates Blackhawks and CH-53's

But there is a problem, unique to the operation of UAS by the Israeli police. While the IDF and IAF operate their UAS mostly over open areas, the police will use them over populated areas.

The officer adds: "This will increase the price of a flight hour dramatically, as we will have to pay for insurance in case a civilian is hurt by one of the unmanned platforms."

Israeli airspace is very small and very congested. The unit has to coordinate each mission with the IAF, which actually "rules" the skies over Israel

And there is another major problem faced by many police forces which want to use UAS for routine missions - the regulations that enable UAS to fly freely are in the making, with many concerns arising and acting as brakes to the process.

Will that change? No doubt - but it will take time. Israeli experts say that most of the missions performed today by the unit can be handed over to UAS, but these experts are not decision-makers.

It could have been considered another demonstration aimed at convincing a potential client to buy. But it is much more than that.

Israel Aerospace Industries' (IAI) Heron Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) has crossed the Andes during an operational flight demonstration in a South American country.

The demonstration flight was performed last month and according to IAI, the Heron showed its advanced abilities for long-range missions using satellite communication for control and activation. 

The UAS was carrying a synthetic aperture radar (SAR), electro-optical payload for day and night use and a communication intelligence system. 

The Heron reliably performed various day and night flights during several days of activity, at ranges extending more than 270nm (500km) and at altitudes in excess of 25,000ft (7,625m).

The Israeli manufacturer says that the system successfully demonstrated its performance under extreme weather conditions, which are typical of the Andes, including strong winds, heavy cloud cover and icing conditions.

On closer inspection, this demonstration is paving the way for very advanced UAS. The technology is racing ahead, with more capabilities that are fitted to be used on UAS.

There is no doubt that a very meaningful part of the across-the-board development effort of "mission support" systems is focused on the UAS market. We can expect some real breakthroughs.

Imagination, or fact? The international media was busy yesterday explaining how, according to the Sudanese government, Israel had destroyed a weapons factory near the capital Khartoum on Tuesday.

 

The Sudanese government claimed that four Israeli fighters had attacked the factory, which was completely destroyed. Sudan has blamed Israel for such attacks in the past.

 

According to the international media, Israel believes weapons are being smuggled through the region to Gaza.

 

In April 2011, Khartoum held Israel responsible for an air strike that killed two people in a car near the city of Port Sudan. Israel, again, did not comment.

 

If the Sudanese accusations are based on fact, that was a very long mission. If what is said in the international press is true, fighters flew in a 1,900km (1,180 miles) path and back without being detected on the way.

 

This unconfirmed story cannot be unrelated to the many reports about an Israeli plan to attack Iranian nuclear facilities.

 

Long flight, fighters undetected on their long way to a target. If what the Sudanese government said is true, someone gave a new meaning to the definition "long-range attack".

 

However, in the Middle East, the facts are sometimes blurred by the haze created by the sun and dust. Sometimes that haze is gone after a while. Sometimes it stays over an area for many years.

 

I am not referring to anything, but I reported here some months ago that the Israeli defence forces (IDF) have established a Depth Command. Is this relevant to the Sudanese allegations?

 

Anyhow, since Tuesday, somewhere in the world, some people are very frustrated. They cannot boast a perfect military operation.

 

That happened after a nuclear facility was destroyed in Syria by an unnamed force. It also happened when convoys carrying Iranian-made weapons were attacked from the air in the Sudanese desert. These are only two examples of operations that no-one claims credit for.

The joint US-Israeli exercise dubbed Austere Challenge 2012 is not only a big, complicated and expensive joint drill.

 

It is a realisation that defending a nation against missiles is a task that cannot always be performed through the means of the country being attacked.

 

It is even more than that. It demonstrates the need for multi forces working together in order to provide an effective shield against the fast proliferation of rockets and missiles, not only in the hands of countries but also in the hands of terrorists.

 

The exercise that began earlier this week is the largest that has ever been performed jointly by the two countries.

 

It will test the best way to operate the locally developed anti rocket/missile systems such as Iron Dome and Arrow with US ones such as Aegis-class cruisers armed with anti-missile systems.

The exercise is the sixth in a series of large-scale missile defence exercises in recent years.

 

It involves some 3,500 US military personnel, 1,000 of them in Israel, and the rest with the US 6th Fleet in the Mediterranean or with the US Europe Command.

 

Some 1,000 Israeli troops are taking part, based in different locations in Israel.

This morning the exercise became very realistic as some 45 rockets were launched from the Gaza Strip into southern Israel. The Iron Dome intercepted the ones with a deadly trajectory.

 

This added a very realistic ingredient to the complex exercise. It emphasised that the threat is currently affecting Israel, but also that this situation may change very quickly.

 

Rockets and missiles are becoming the weapons of choice for many terror organisations, and joint operations such as the one being held in Israel could become necessary in other places.

Unmanned air systems (UAS) are no longer "standalone" platforms. As they become more advanced, they need to "talk" to other platforms, either in the air, on the ground or at sea.
This calls for a common language and a shared operational mode. This is complicated, because we are talking about robots, very advanced ones, though still robots. The human is still in the loop in some sections of the operational circle, but the task of combining all these is very complicated.
When complexity is a hurdle, simulation can help and that is exactly what is emerging now.
Israeli-developed UAS simulation software will help in developing such systems, especially their use in conjunction with other fighting systems.
Simlat, which specialises in simulation software, was selected to provide a high fidelity UAS training system to a large-scale synthetic environment lab.
The system, Simlat's C-STAR (Full Crew Training System) simulator, includes high fidelity simulation of UAS generic platforms and payloads, all in a high-end 3D environment - including 3D terrain and modelled targets. The simulator is designed to provide training for UAS pilots and payload operators, and supports diverse training goals, from learning the basics to mission rehearsal and experimental operation.
The company says that its flexible architecture and scalable design allows the training system to easily run collaborative training sessions via DIS/HLA standard protocols and technology.
High-end simulation helps with the fast introduction of UAS to the modern battlefield.

High definition (HD) optronic payloads for manned aircraft and unmanned air systems (UAS) are becoming a baseline, like HD TV screens at home.
Technology can satisfy the appetite of its users for more detailed images, even for the battlefield.
The UAS can now see a lot better and that makes them an even more crucial platform for the battlefield.
Here is some proof. The TAMAM Division of Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) has launched a new line of truly HD day and night stabilised optronic payloads using a 1280x1024 pixel detector for the thermal camera and a 1920x1080 detector for the day camera in the MOSP3000-HD and the POP300D-HD.
TAMAM also introduced the new  MiniPOP-HD using a 1920x1080 detector for the day camera.
The company says that the new systems also include advanced video image processing and compression features that enable the FHDTV to be adapted to any downlink system.
MOSP3000-HD is a 31kg (68lb), one-LRU multi-sensor highly stabilised EO/IR payload equipped with a full HD 1920x1080 detector for colour day camera (FHDTV), a HD 1280x1024 detector for the thermal camera with a x30 optical zoom and an option for laser designation, laser rangefinder and laser pointer.
POP300D-HD is a 20kg, one-LRU multi-sensor stabilised EO/IR payload equipped with a Full HD 1920x1080 detector for the colour day camera, a HD 1280x1024 detector for the thermal camera and laser designation, laser rangefinder and laser pointer.
MiniPOP-HD is a 6.5-9kg (configuration dependent) compact, one-LRU multi-sensor stabilised EO/IR payload equipped with a full HD 1920x1080 detector for the colour day camera, a 640x480 thermal camera, and an option for laser rangefinder, laser pointer and laser designator.
Bringing HD to real-time intelligence gathering in combat is no less than a revolution. Forget about pixellated and blurred images. From now on, in most cases, you get a very sharp image that allows the commander to see the finest details in the area of interest.
The combat scenery has become high definition and the developers say that they have some more "quantum leaps" in their labs.

I'm not a psychologist, but if I look at the routine operational pattern of the Israeli Air Force (IAF), grounding it to refresh safety procedures seems almost a must every now and then.
Earlier this week the IAF grounded all its fighting squadrons for one day, following a series of safety incidents.
Maj Gen Amir Eshel, commander of the IAF, took the step after a series of safety incidents. In one of them, two F-16s were in a "not safe" distance from each other. The fighters were flown by high ranking officers of the IAF.
Sources say that the two F-16s were 100 metres from each other.
The grounding was used to refresh the safety instructions that apply to the IAF's fixed wing and rotorcraft squadrons.
Such a grounding happens from time to time following a certain number of safety incidents. Some, in the past, developed into deadly accidents.
The level of training and operational flights of the IAF is, if not the highest in the world, among the highest.
The squadrons fly a mix of training missions that sometimes turn to operational ones. All this characterises an airforce that extends its pilots and equipment to the limit.
In such circumstances, safety rules are sometimes not followed to the strictest detail, and that results in imposed groundings.
Any attempt to change that situation permanently will not succeed. One of the best airforces in the world is actually fighting on an almost daily basis and that calls for steps to bring the pilots back to the safety standard.
The high command of the IAF is doing all kinds of things to keep the highest safety standards. Sometimes a complete standstill is needed to achieve the effect.

Will on-board countermeasures become an integral part of airliners around the world? The answer is no.

 

What has been for many years an integral part of almost every VIP aircraft will not become standard equipment on airliners.

 

This is not because they are not needed, but because they cost a lot of money to install and then use.

 

Are they needed? The answer from almost all experts is that this equipment is a must on airliners, especially those that fly in "sensitive" regions of the world.

 

The first country to equip its airlines' aircraft with such a system is Israel. This also will happen after long delays caused firstly by technical hurdles, and then by those connected with who will be paying for what.

 

But as it looks now, the Elbit Systems C-Music countermeasures system against shoulder-launched missiles will soon be installed on a number of aircraft operated by Israeli airlines.

 

C-Music has recently completed an operational test on an Israeli air force (IAF) aircraft.

 

The installation is expected to begin early next year. This is, as I mentioned, after many delays.

 

This week, an SA-7 Strela shoulder-launched missile was fired at an IAF aircraft flying over Gaza. It missed.

 

Intelligence sources have claimed in recent months that the number of shoulder-launched missiles in Gaza has increased dramatically, due to shipments that came from Libya after the collapse of the Gaddafi regime.

 

C-Music is based on the Music system, a direct infra-red countermeasure technology for military aircraft and helicopters, which disrupts shoulder-launched missiles and causes them to veer off course by transmitting a laser beam.

 

Recent tests proved that C-Music is capable of rapid-response and can handle multiple threats.

 

The initial plan was to install C-Music on aircraft that fly on international routes. The changing situation in Egypt, which made the Sinai Desert a terror base, led to the Israeli authorities reconsidering that plan.

 

An effort is now being made to tailor the system for installation on small aircraft such as the ATR-72 that are operated on domestic flights from central Israel to Eilat.

The report can be considered one of many routinely written by the Israeli chief air accidents investigator, but it is not.
It warns about procedures for the air transportation of chemicals and shows that these do not cover all the possibilities.
The report describes events on June 9 after an EL AL 747 cargo aircraft landed in Ben-Gurion airport in Tel-Aviv after a flight from Belgium.
The cargo was offloaded and stored in the cargo terminal. It included 10 metal barrels containing acrylamide, which is used, among other things, for filling spaces in construction. When this is the use, it is mixed with another one to make a gel.
After six hours, five of the barrels suddenly exploded in the terminal, sending the chemical to the 12 metre high ceiling.
The emergency services isolated the area and an investigation began.
The investigation revealed that a "chain of mistakes" was made along the path of the shipment until it landed in Israel.
The report recommends checking the responsibility of all the parties involved in such shipments and to consider a warning about the air transportation of acrylamide until further investigation, which will result in more precise instructions about the way it is stored before loading on a plane.
The report points to a lack of safety instructions that apply to the air transport of certain chemicals.
It also points to the need to prepare an exact manual that all involved in the shipping chain will have to follow when chemicals are put on a plane.
This time, the explosion happened on the ground. The report is a warning that there are still holes in the system, which is supposed to prevent chemical reactions that may be the result of in-flight conditions.
The report says that this "severe incident could have ended with an accident", and this is the warning light for all the details and procedures described in the report.

 

The Israeli air force (IAF) has been taking steps to deal with unmanned air systems (UAS) used by hostile forces, since Hezbollah in Lebanon launched two of them into Israel in 2004 and 2006.

However, the incursion of an Iranian-made UAS launched from Lebanon on October 6 tipped the scale in one very decisive blow.

The UAS was shot down over southern Israel by IAF F-16Is. Two air-to-air missiles were launched after the first one did not destroy the small UAS.

This incident points to a new front in which the IAF will have to supply solutions - and fast.

New regulations imposed last week which make use of a transponder by operators of ultralights and all other aircraft used by flight enthusiasts mandatory are seen here as an interim solution.

The new regulations demand the use of a transponder on every aerial platform that flies in Israeli air space, keeping constant radio contact with the Israeli air force's control centers. These centers create the complete picture of the Israeli airspace.

Other regulations refer to hang-gliders in areas near the borders.

These regulations could help control the airspace better, but the IAF will have to come up with something more robust.

This includes tools to detect, identify and destroy targets at a very early stage of the flight path.

Small UAS have small radar cross-sections, and they make the mission to detect, identify and destroy much more complicated.

However, solutions have to be in place immediately, as Hezbollah and its Iranian patrons have declared that they intend to continue launching UAS into Israeli airspace.

Necessity is the mother of all invention. When the danger is constant and very real, the result is inventions that lower it to a "reasonable" level.

 

That happens on a daily basis in the Israeli defence industries, and in the other security organisations.

 

This time the invention is in the field of civil aviation. The security at Ben Gurion airport in Tel Aviv is different to any other airport in the world.

 

Most of the ingredients of this huge system are under heavy wraps but from time to time something is presented, even if very partially.

 

This happened yesterday when the Israeli Airports Authority (IAA) announced that passengers flying from Ben Gurion to the USA will be able to carry liquids purchased in the airport without the security limitations that apply elsewhere, mainly in flights with a US destination.

 

The IAA has completed the deployment of a unique security system that screens the liquid goods supplied to the duty free shops in the airport.

 

After they are cleared by the new system, the liquid products will be sold to passengers, and will be packed in sealed bags in accordance with the US security standard.

 

The methods used by the IAA's security department are classified, and most of them have been developed in Israel according to the standards of the Israeli general security service.

 

Some more automated systems are planned for Ben Gurion airport, and are aimed at making the "Profile" system used now almost redundant. Details are also classified here, but technology will enable the transition.

 

However, I assume that despite all the technology, the human instinct of trained security personnel will continue to be very important.

In the early days of Israel (only 64 years ago) oranges made up the bulk of the country's exports, then it was polished diamonds, then came the hi-tech products.

Now the next export "boom" is likely to be micro- and mini-unmanned air systems (UAS).

In spite of the fact that many countries have been developing UAS, Israeli companies still manufacture some of the most advanced samples.

Some are still - and will be for many years to come - on the highly classified  list, guarded by the huge security apparatus of the country.

Israeli companies manufacture both tactical UAS and strategic types. They also develop UAS for special forces, and in recent years there is a growing trend that can be summed up by a statement like "a UAS for every soldier".

The current doctrine used by the Israeli defence forces (IDF) is that a ground force has to keep a continuous presence in the defined area, and this is being achieved with a great number of micro- and mini-UAS that can peep over or around the hill.

This trend has brought many mini-UAS to the infantry units of the IDF - and there is no doubt that some countries are following their example.

One example is India, which is about to purchase a record number of mini- and micro-UAS for its air force and the army's northern command.

Two immediate competitions are aimed at selecting 100 micro-UAS systems for the Indian air force and 20 mini-UAS for the army's northern command.

The companies that win the competitions will be asked to transfer at least 30% of the production to India.

But this is only the beginning. Israeli sources say that in the coming three years the Indian defence establishment will issue five additional tenders for the purchase of a total of 600 mini-UAS systems for the Indian infantry, artillery, air force and federal police units.

These contracts are valued at $1.25 billion, and production will have to be only in India.
At least two Israeli companies will participate in the planned competitions - Elbit Systems will compete with its SkyLark series UAS, while BlueBird will offer its SpyLite.

So, as I mentioned, these small unmanned platforms are becoming an export hit - and we can  expect more designs with special payloads to match.

This race may become very hot. Not because of the amount of money that awaits the winner, but because of some indirect long-term implications.

 

I am referring to the new interest of African states in unmanned air systems.

 

While manufacturers from various countries eye this growing market, there are signs that there are two main competitors, and they are not just commercial ones.

 

African nations have become a major market for UAS, and Israeli manufacturers are making a big effort to increase their sales in that part of the world. The potential for the next five years is assessed to be around  $500-600 million.

 

Sources in the Israeli industry say that in some African states the demand is for "first level" UAS, while in others the demand is for more advanced systems and advanced payloads.

 

Almost all the major Israeli UAS manufacturers have already sold their systems in Africa, and these are fully operational or in the process of gaining this status.

 

Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), Elbit Systems and Aeronautics have sold UAS to Angola, Kenya, Ivory Coast, Nigeria, Ethiopia and Tanzania.

 

These countries are now being offered advanced versions, while others evaluate basic models.

 

The increasing presence of Islamic terror organisations in Africa is the main element pushing demand up.

 

Earlier this year, the Israeli ministry of defence cleared the IAI Heron for export to some of the African nations.

 

However, Israel is not alone in this market. Recently, Denel Dynamics from South Africa has established an increased presence in many of the countries that have purchased Israeli-made UAS. The company is offering its Seeker 400 UAS.

 

The competition became even fiercer when Washington made a decision to equip some African states with hand-launched UAVs.

 

The most recent example is the deal with Kenya to equip its army with eight Raven UAS.

 

This deal is aimed at improving the Kenyan army's capability to perform counter-terrorism operations, against terror groups mainly in Somalia.

 

Some officials in the Pentagon are angered every time Israel tries to export defence hardware to other countries.

 

In their logic a country such as Israel, which gets an annual foreign military funds (FMF) grant from the USA, should refrain from competing with American defence companies.

 

This has in the past created some very awkward situations and now, it seems, another one may develop in Africa.

This is a major question, and it is becoming more acute: How important is the aerial platform compared with the systems it can carry?

Platforms get very expensive, and this has put the dilemma in a new focus - is it wise to invest in platforms, or can the same results be achieved with simply adding more sensors?

The Israeli air force (IAF) uses a large variety of sensors and pods on its combat aircraft. Many of these are locally developed and manufactured to answer specific operational needs.

The list is mostly classified, but some of the systems can be discussed - with restrictions. The pods used by the IAF almost daily in intelligence gathering missions enable the force to stay fully updated about threats from enemy countries.

High resolution imagery is still the main way of collecting data, but in recent years - and at a growing pace - synthetic aperture radar (SAR) is pushing it aside, for obvious reasons.
SAR sensors allow undisturbed observation capabilities. A variety of SAR radar system is manufactured by Elta, an Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) subsidiary.

The Rafael Litening targeting pod is a good example that was "born" at the right time. This system has become a best-seller among many air forces in recent years. Rafael has so far sold well over 1,000 such pods.

The demand for targeting pods has increased mainly because of good results from its use in combat in Iraq and Afghanistan

Litening combines all the targeting capabilities needed for a combat aircraft to perform and attack in a single pod.

The latest generation of the Litening uses an advanced thermal sensor, based on a focal-plane array of 640x480 detectors, operating at the medium thermal band (3-5μ).

The pod processes the video signals in digital video format, enabling electronic stabilisation and image enhancement, resulting in a very sharp image even at extended range. Utilisation of digital video also enables advanced processing and future upgrades.

Another unclassified example is Elbit Systems Electro-optics' Long-Range Oblique Photography (LOROP) system, which provides high-resolution imagery while allowing the reconnaissance aircraft to remain a long stand-off distance from the target. This is important when the aircraft is not able to fly over the photographed area.

The list of classified sensors and pods is long. If the F-35 really is the last combat aircraft to be developed by the USA, the question I posed will have to get an explicit answer in years to come.

The fleet of current-service combat aircraft like F-15s and F-16s will undoubtedly continue to fly for many years - and I mean many.

Production of the first Lockheed Martin C-130J for the Israeli air force (IAF) began recently in a short ceremony in Atlanta.

 

The first C-130J "Samson" will be delivered in 2014. IAF crews recently visited a US Air Force C-130J squadron to hear about the operation of the advanced aircraft.

 

The IAF dubs all its aircraft with Hebrew names. The C-130 E/Hs it currently operates are dubbed "Karnaf" (Rhinoceros).

 

The cockpits of the IAF's C-130Js will have three seats, similar to the configuration used by the US Special Forces.

 

The aircraft will be modified for the future installation of some Israeli systems. These are being developed now.

 

The IAF is operating 15 C-130 E/Hs. In recent years all the fleet underwent fatigue tests with the assistance of Lockheed Martin.

 

The Es will be phased out while the Hs will get structure treatment.

 

The contract with the Israeli ministry of defence currently includes three C-130Js, but it is expected that more will be purchased in the next two years.

 

Parallel to the preparations made to get the first C-130J, the IAF has embarked on a comprehensive upgrade of its current fleet of the C-130H.

 

These will get a new main wing box. The Bedek division of Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) will perform the series replacement of the original main wing boxes. This will begin soon.

 

A source close to the programme said that the upgraded Hs and some E/H models will stay in service while the E models that are still flying will be phased out.

 

The acquisition process for the C-130J began before the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) decided last year to form a new Depth Command.

 

This command is in charge of combining the assets of the infantry, air force and navy to perform what is defined loosely as "long-range operations".

 

The purchase of the Samsons is not directly connected with this but if you look at the bigger picture and the operational needs, you might find some very strong strings attaching both decisions.

The world market for advanced defence systems is changing rapidly and any failure to keep with the pace may result in very detrimental effects on the defence and aerospace industries of a country.

 

This rule applies to any country that has an advanced defence industry, but Israel has a unique status in this unofficial rating.

 

Israel has been put into some awkward situations when trying to export its defence and aerospace systems.

 

The most dramatic example of this is the foiled attempt to sell two AEW aircraft to China. The aircraft built by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) were ready for delivery when the USA took out the "red flag" and blocked the deal.

 

Since that traumatic experience in 2000, the Israeli ministry of defence is extra cautious - sometimes, according to critics, too cautious.

 

The developing cooperation between Russia and Israel in the unmanned air systems (UAS) field has already resulted in some "meaningful" contracts and is soon expected to go one step further.

 

This step will include the joint development of at least one type of UAS that will fit Russian operational needs.

 

Three years ago, Russia signed a contract to purchase UAS made by (IAI) that were valued around $400 million.

 

Deliveries of the Searcher-2 and BirdEye-400 are under way, and in parallel the Russians have built an assembly/production line as part of the contract.

 

Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin recently expressed his satisfaction with the Israeli-Russian cooperation on UAS.

 

Sources familiar with this UAS cooperation said that it is part of a larger "strategic understanding" that serves both sides on a wide spectrum of issues.

 

One example, according to these sources, is the Russian decision not to sell different types of surface-to-air missiles to Iran.

 

Sources say that the planned cooperation will involve the transfer of technologies and the adaptation of UAS to operational conditions in Russia.

 

Russia is one of the superpowers that are foiling any attempt to stop the massacres in Syria by external military intervention. Russia is also one of the only countries that still cooperates with Iran.

 

Russia is behind many other international actions that anger Israel. However, in this complex world, alliances are very often formed in the most unlikely places.

 

So with China off the potential clients list due to an American demand, and others on that list as a result of other Israeli considerations, the market has shrunk, and has become very complex.

 

Any international defence contract involves a multi-piece puzzle that has to be complete before something is signed.

 

In some places of the world, this puzzle is very complicated and difficult to complete.

In evolution there is a point where things change that have been obvious for many years. Until that moment evolution is a process running parallel to that it will eventually change.

This seems to be a nice theory - especially when the issue is a technological evolution.

However, when evolution at one time is actually a revolution, things are suddenly in a different light.

This somewhat philosophical introduction is not a theory waiting to be proven - the proof can be seen at each of the Israeli air force's (IAF's) bases.

The IAF is beginning a long cautious process that will replace manned aircraft with unmanned air systems (UAS).

There are two examples that can be used to prove that technological evolution has reached the point I mentioned above.

As I reported on Flightglobal, the Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) Panther tiltrotor UAS will be adapted for operation aboard navy ships.

The Panther uses an innovative automatic flight control system that controls the transition between hovering take-off and forward flight, and vice versa before landing. The Panther takes off and lands automatically by a simple click of the operator's console, thus eliminating the need for an external pilot.

The type is powered by three ultra-quiet electrical motors, has a take-off weight of 65kg and an endurance of 6h.

The Israeli navy is currently using helicopters on its SAAR-5 missile ships. Sources said that the Panther and other UAS systems currently under development will eliminate the future use of helicopters on the navy's ships.

I promised a second example of proof, and here it is: the IAF UAS are already performing some of the missions that were formerly performed exclusively by the service's Beechcraft B-200 Super King Air aircraft.

The payloads carried by the IAF's Heron-1 and Heron-TP UAS are capable of performing the medium and long range observation missions that until some years ago were performed exclusively by the B-200.

The IAF has been using some of its B-200s for long-range observation missions. These aircraft are equipped with very advanced electro-optical systems operated by a crew of air scouts seated in the cabin.

The carrying capability of the medium and large UAS operated by the IAF - and the quality of the sensors they carry - have shifted many missions to the UAS squadrons, and that trend will continue. The UAS have a longer endurance and their operation is cheaper.

So, evolution has become revolution - in spite of opposition from the pilots that are losing some missions.