Mediterranean Sea ISR To Be SHOVALed To Israel Air Force With UAV

Israel will start flying maritime patrol sorties over the Mediterranean Sea by mid-2009.

Israel will use modified Israel Aerospace Industries Heron (Shoval) unmanned air vehicles — a prototype has undergone flight testing over recent months. A senior Israeli Air Force (IAF) source says the use of UAVs will better enable maritime coverage than the service's current manned IAI Westwind 1124 business jet-based Seascans, which entered use in 1978. ShovalUAVs will gradually replace the current type, and according to the IAF, will be equipped with a similar payload. Confirmed system elements include maritime search radar provided by IAI's Elta Systems subsidiary, and a stabilized, long-range, optical observation system from Tamam.

Air Force UAV operators will act as mission controllers for the new aircraft — the payload will be managed by Israeli Navy specialists. IAI's baseline Heron has an endurance of more than 40 hours at an altitude of 30,000ft (9,150m), and can carry multiple payloads, with a total weight of 250kg (550lb). The medium-altitude, long-endurance type was recently employed by the Israeli Air Force during its participation in Operation "Cast Lead", which struck against Hamas militants in the Gaza Strip.

(Source: Flight International, Arie Egozi)