If anyone ever believed that drones were just a passing fancy, the spectacular evolution of these versatile contraptions is proving them wrong. Their role in the military has become so important that the Israel Air Force (IAF) is honoring them by including drones in the annual Independence Day flyover for the first time.
Will there be a time when all conventional aircraft will be obsolete, and all military flyovers will be carried out by unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in eerie demonstrations? The first step in that direction seems to indicate a potential future like that. Yesterday, May 5, Israel celebrated its Independence Day, which included a special IAF flyover that not only covered areas that hadn’t been included before but also showed off military drones and fighter jets flying side by side.
F-15, F-16, and F-35 fighter jets are a common sight during these annual events, just like the Black Hawk, Sea Stallion, Panther, and Apache helicopters. According to The Times of Israel, they were joined by C-130 cargo planes, a Boeing refueling aircraft, and a Lavi training aircraft. But that wasn’t all. For the first time ever, two UAVs were also included.
Heron 1 and Heron TP, built by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), have become one of the most important assets of the IAF. According to The Jerusalem Post, IAF has four drone squadrons based at Palmahim AFB, which account for 80% of all IAF flight hours. Also, a statement from the military highlighted that “Israel is a leader in the field of remotely manned aircraft,” and it has indeed deployed them successfully in ongoing conflicts.
Heron TP is a long-range Medium Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) drone that can carry out various missions from intelligence gathering to target acquisition. It boasts a mission endurance of more than 30 hours, cutting-edge communication systems, and the ability to withstand all weather conditions. The Heron 1 has an even greater mission endurance and is mostly used for surveillance tasks.
F-15, F-16, and F-35 fighter jets are a common sight during these annual events, just like the Black Hawk, Sea Stallion, Panther, and Apache helicopters. According to The Times of Israel, they were joined by C-130 cargo planes, a Boeing refueling aircraft, and a Lavi training aircraft. But that wasn’t all. For the first time ever, two UAVs were also included.
Heron 1 and Heron TP, built by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), have become one of the most important assets of the IAF. According to The Jerusalem Post, IAF has four drone squadrons based at Palmahim AFB, which account for 80% of all IAF flight hours. Also, a statement from the military highlighted that “Israel is a leader in the field of remotely manned aircraft,” and it has indeed deployed them successfully in ongoing conflicts.
Heron TP is a long-range Medium Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) drone that can carry out various missions from intelligence gathering to target acquisition. It boasts a mission endurance of more than 30 hours, cutting-edge communication systems, and the ability to withstand all weather conditions. The Heron 1 has an even greater mission endurance and is mostly used for surveillance tasks.
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— Israeli Air Force (@IAFsite) May 5, 2022
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