January 18, 2011
http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2011/01 ... more-38888As part of a $400 million deal the two countries inked last fall, Israel just sent its first round of twelve drones to Russia. Included are the short-range Bird-Eye 400 and I-View Mk 150, as well as the Searcher II — a 300-kilometer range spy plane that Israel’s used in Lebanon to spy on Hezbollah from as high as 23,000 feet.
But what Russia’s really after, according to SpaceDaily and Jane’s, is the Heron TP. Also known as the Eitan, the Heron’s a powerful drone. It carries up to 1000 kilograms’ worth of sensors; flies at over 40,000 feet; stays aloft for up to 36 hours; and can perform complex tasks like midair refueling. And it’s a lethal one, too, capable of firing air-to-ground missiles.