Duel of the Drones: Iran and Israel, and the Chopped Liver Crowd………..
“Israel's air force on Sunday introduced a fleet of huge pilotless planes that can remain in the air for a full day and fly as far as the Persian Gulf, putting rival Iran within its range. The Heron TP drones have a wingspan of 86 feet (26 meters), making them the size of Boeing 737 passenger jets and the largest unmanned aircraft in Israel's military. The planes can fly at least 20 consecutive hours and are primarily used for surveillance and carrying diverse payloads. At the fleet's inauguration ceremony at a sprawling air base in central Israel, the drone dwarfed an F-15 fighter jet parked beside it. The unmanned plane resembles its predecessor, the Heron, but can fly higher, reaching an altitude of more than 40,000 feet (12,000 meters), and remain in the air longer…… Israeli officials refused to say how large the new fleet is or whether the planes were designed for use against Iran, but stressed it was versatile and could adapt to new missions. The plane's maker, state-owned Israel Aerospace Industries, has said it is capable of reaching the Persian Gulf, which would put Iran within its range…....….”
A few weeks ago Iran also announced the production of new drones, but they are probably not as sophisticate, nor as large, as what the Israelis can field. It looks like a mini-cold war stretching between the Mediterranean and the Persian-American Gulf. Israel is already establishing air (and general military) supremacy over the whole Middle East, with the exception of Iran. Iran seems to be establishing military superiority over big parts of the same area, except that it has American firepower to check it.
I am not sure how the Arab states fit into this new situation, if at all, but it is mostly their territory. So far the Arab oligarchies have been acting like they are just chopped liver.
Cheers
mhg
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