Maker: Israeli 'Drones' Fly Over Iraq
Pastor Dale Morgan
Maker: Israeli 'Drones' Fly Over Iraq*
By STEVE WEIZMAN
The Associated Press
Monday, March 19, 2007; 2:23 PM
JERUSALEM -- Pilotless planes small enough for a single soldier to carry
and operate are gathering intelligence for U.S.-led forces in Iraq and
Afghanistan, the Israeli manufacturer said Monday.
Elbit Systems, one of Israel's leading defense electronics companies,
said its little "Skylark" can cover an area within a range of 6 miles
day or night. It is about 7 feet long with a wingspan of nearly 8 feet,
the company said.
"Skylark is operational and currently deployed in the global war on
terror in Israel, Iraq and Afghanistan," the statement said. It
described the Skylark as suited for "close range, beyond-the-next hill,
counter-terror missions."
Lt. Col. Matthew McLaughlin of CENTCOM, the American command that
handles Iraq and Afghanistan, said the military "would not confirm the
use of the drone," but is always looking for aircraft with such
capabilities.
The U.S. relies heavily on pilotless planes of all shapes and sizes for
surveillance, launching missiles and other missions in the region.
Elbit said the Skylark, one of several items of Israeli defense hardware
deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan, would be unveiled to the public at the
March 20-25 Australian International Airshow.
Earlier this month, state-owned arms-maker Rafael said it had won a
contract to supply the U.S. Marine Corps with state-of the-art armored
vehicles, and 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.