yavar
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Recent statements by an Israeli Air Force officer confirm that Hezbollah has jet powered unmanned aerial vehicles in operation. These UAVs, almost certainly provided by Iran, provide Hezbollah a potent air strike capability that many states, let alone militant groups, lack.
In its reporting on the participation of Israeli F-16 fighter aircraft[1] at the upcoming ILA2014 Berlin Airshow, IHS Janes, a private intelligence and news company, reported on its April 2014 visit to Israeli’s Ramon Airbase, home to some of the Israel Defence Force (IDF) F-16I Sufa strike fighter fleet. Janes reports that their guide, pilot Major ‘O’ (fully name undisclosed by Janes for security reasons) discussed the units increased engagement in air defence operations against UAVs. Janes quotes Major O as stating:
"We don't call them UAVs - they are guided weapon systems … a lot like cruise missiles even," he said. "Some of the [jet-powered ones] are even as fast as cruise missiles that are guided to the target by waypoints. We train against these types, but I can't say if we have actually intercepted any for real." [Emphasis added]
Neptune's Desert: Hezbollah is Operating Jet-Powered UAVs
In its reporting on the participation of Israeli F-16 fighter aircraft[1] at the upcoming ILA2014 Berlin Airshow, IHS Janes, a private intelligence and news company, reported on its April 2014 visit to Israeli’s Ramon Airbase, home to some of the Israel Defence Force (IDF) F-16I Sufa strike fighter fleet. Janes reports that their guide, pilot Major ‘O’ (fully name undisclosed by Janes for security reasons) discussed the units increased engagement in air defence operations against UAVs. Janes quotes Major O as stating:
"We don't call them UAVs - they are guided weapon systems … a lot like cruise missiles even," he said. "Some of the [jet-powered ones] are even as fast as cruise missiles that are guided to the target by waypoints. We train against these types, but I can't say if we have actually intercepted any for real." [Emphasis added]
Neptune's Desert: Hezbollah is Operating Jet-Powered UAVs
