[WCUSP] Israeli spy planes patrol Iraq

[KATHARLOW at aol.com]

Note: Elbit is one of the contractors hired to construct the wall on the 
Mexico-US border, based, no doubt, on its expertise in building the apartheid wall 
in 
 Occupied Palestine.


_http://www.news24.com/News24/World/News/0,,2-10-1462_2086059,00.html_ 
(http://www.news24.com/News24/World/News/0,,2-10-1462_2086059,00.html) 
Israeli spy planes patrol Iraq
 19/03/2007 22:26  - (SA)
 
 Jerusalem - Small Israeli pilotless planes are gathering intelligence  
 for US-led forces in Iraq and Afghanistan, said the manufacturer in a  
 statement on Monday.
 
 Elbit Systems, one of Israel's leading defence electronics companies,  
 said the little "Skylark" can be carried and operated by a single  
 soldier, covering an area within a range of 10km day or night, said  
 the company.
 
 "Skylark is operational and currently deployed in the global war on  
 terror in Israel, Iraq and Afghanistan," said the statement.
 
 It described the Skylark as suited for "close range, beyond-the-next  
 hill, counter-terror missions".
 
 There was no immediate comment from US military officials.
 
 Elbit said the Skylark would be unveiled to the public at the March  
 20-25 Australian International Airshow.
 
 State-of the-art armoured vehicles
 
 The Skylark is just one of several items of Israeli defence hardware  
 deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan.
 
 Earlier this month, state-owned arms-maker Rafael said it had won a  
 contract to supply the US marine corps with state-of the-art armoured  
 vehicles for use there.
 
 Military analysts said Israeli firms had long been supplying and  
 maintaining equipment for American ground and naval forces in Iraq,  
 although both buyers and sellers generally preferred to keep a low  
 profile.
 
 Israel has used drones since the early 1970s, and its fleet has  
 steadily increased.
 
 Air force officials say drones have become such an integral part of  
 Israel's air power in recent years that their flight hours now  
 outnumber those of manned fighter planes.
 
 'Heron used in Lebanon war'
 
 Two weeks ago the Israeli military unveiled the "Heron," Israel's 
 largest surveillance drone, with a wingspan of 16.6m and an ability  
 to fly for as long as 30 hours at a time at a speed of 225kph and a  
 height of 9 000m.
 
 The military said it used the Heron during last summer's war in Lebanon.
 
 
 
 
 
 






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