Jane's Defence Weekly [Content preview Subscribe to IHS Jane s Defence Weekly for full article] Leading edge: Israeli UAV development Israeli companies are set to remain global leaders in the development of unmanned aerial vehicles, with portfolios spurred by their country's challenging defence context, writes Andrew White Ongoing operational experience in the Middle East's complex mission environment has kept Israel's industry at the forefront in the design, development, and deployment of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). Regular campaigns in Lebanon and the Gaza Strip, not to mention continuing counter-insurgency (COIN) and counter-terrorism (CT) operations at home, have also allowed the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) to hone their skills in deploying UAVs and capitalising on intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) material from platforms and associated payloads. However, neither the IDF nor Israel's defence industry are resting on their laurels. Huge investment is continuing in mostly highly secretive unmanned programmes. The world's emerging defence - and, more recently, commercial - markets closely follow the manoeuvring of Israel's unmanned players such as Aeronautics, Elbit Systems, Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), and Rafael. Existing footprint The IDF's unmanned technology features heavily in the inventory of the Israeli Air Force (IAF) and, to a lesser extent, that of the army and special forces. Article 1 Page 1 of 10
The Elbit Systems single-payload Hermes 450 has been used extensively by the IAF as well as the British Army, which used the platform to meet an urgent operational requirement in Afghanistan and as a baseline air vehicle for the dual payload Watchkeeper system. (Thales) 1330423 Among a wide selection of unmanned aircraft, the IAF has access to Aeronautics' Aerolight, IAI's Heron and Searcher platforms, and Elbit Systems' Hermes 450, Hermes 450 High Altitude variant, and Hermes 900 airframes. The wider arms of the IDF, which refuse to comment on speculation, are reported to have deployed loitering munitions such as IAI's Harop and Israeli Military Industries' (IMI's) Delilah. Article 1 Page 2 of 10
Israeli unmanned manufacturers have specialised in the development of loitering munitions such as UVision's Hero 30 system, although the IDF refuses to acknowledge their utility. (UVision) 1639464 While the IDF has been operating UAVs for "decades now", force elements have evolved, moving from unmanned platforms supporting manned aircraft through to a projected future operational environment in which the IAF expects fighter jets to support UAVs, an air force spokesperson told IHS Jane's. "In the future, the fighter jets will supplement UAVs and will be used in missions that require manned aircrafts for reasons of safety and money savings," he said. "In terms of technology this ability is already extant. Now we need to integrate the capabilities and make the mental change." However, UAVs will never completely replace manned fighters, he added. In the contemporary operating environment in the domestic area of operation (AO), the IAF describes the existing missions of Israeli UAVs as centred on reconnaissance, air traffic control, and assistance to ground forces as well as "other missions". "[UAVs] present significant advantages over manned aircraft, including the ability to fly for long periods of time, low radar cross-section, and relatively low operation costs," said the IAF spokesperson. "During Operation 'Protective Edge' [Gaza, 2014], the UAVs took part in many missions and in times of calm they were used for intelligence gathering." For the IAF, the UAV's greatest advantage is versatility. The spokesperson compared UAVs to multi-role fighters that can be upgraded with a range of systems for specific mission sets. "Lasers and other aids can be installed if needed," he noted. "The new technologies enable the UAVs to provide high-quality intelligence, making them a significant part of the IAF. During the last campaign ['Protective Edge'], the IAF had to track and identify individual terrorists in population centres: missions suitable for the advanced UAVs." Article 1 Page 3 of 10
At least publicly, however, the IAF's current and planned inventory has a glaring omission. Neither the IDF nor industry can confirm any plans to develop an unmanned combat air vehicle (UCAV) similar to those produced by the US Navy's Unmanned Combat Air System Demonstrator (UCAS-D) and Unmanned Carrier Launched Surveillance and Strike (UCLASS) programmes. Israeli industry still remains tight lipped about any current or future developments in the realm of unmanned combat air vehicles similar to the X-47B as developed by the US Navy and Northrop Grumman. (US Navy) 1639465 While there have been reports that Israel has been developing some type of low-observable UCAV variant, this has never been confirmed by industry or the IAF. A UCAV might lack utility, given the IAF's focus on homeland security and military operations in urban terrain (MOUT) as part of ongoing COIN and CT campaigns over relatively small distances. Yet ongoing efforts in Iran (which claims to have captured and reverse-engineered the US Air Force's RQ-170 UAV) and the contemporary operating environment in Syria and Iraq could change the Israeli government's mind. Platform response So how is industry looking to support the IDF's future deployment of UAVs? Article 1 Page 4 of 10
IAI Malat considers it a growing market, according to Bonen. "We're forecasting a steady growth of UAVs in the market, with particular emphasis on bigger and bigger platforms as well as steady growth in small UAVs," he said. "[Growing demand for larger air vehicles] is something that has become quite obvious in recent years, with customers requiring bigger range and endurance as well as carriage of bigger sensors. So, many programmes are now in development or expected to be in the future and we are predicting a steady rate of growth over the next 10 years." Bonen also noted continuing efforts to minimise payloads carried on board UAVs, shaping future developments in increasingly small air vehicles that could more easily evade identification and capture. "We're conducting an evaluation plan right now in order to grow into other developments based on our market needs, although no decisions have yet been made," he said. "However, we do expect some decisions later this year regarding the development of a completely new UAV system or modernisation of existing platforms with minor or major adjustments." Elsewhere, at June's Paris Air Show, Elbit Systems unveiled the latest member of its Skylark family: the I- LEX. Similar to the previous Skylark I-LE variant, the I-LEX is a manportable, electric-propelled mini-uav for 'over-the-hill' reconnaissance missions as part of wider COIN and CT operations. The platform can also be used for civil applications, including border protection, maritime surveillance, and law enforcement. Designed for military operations in urban terrain and with a payload of 1.2 kg, Elbit Systems' I-LEX UAV is already operational with the IDF. (Elbit Systems) 1486095 The I-LEX is already operational with infantry battalions in the IDF ground forces, with "thousands" of operational sorties completed in homeland security operations, an Elbit spokesperson told IHS Jane's. "The Article 1 Page 5 of 10
operational success of the system has been translated to several international contracts received already this year for the delivery of the Skylark I-LEX system," he said. Payload preferences Although UAV airframes have changed little in the past few years, the optimisation and miniaturisation of payloads appears set to continue. "The main challenge today is finding targets in a very short time," said an IAI spokesperson. "Targets are less detectable and spread over wide areas and this has led to changes in the development of better cameras with higher resolution and a different operational outlook. We have acquired new capabilities that allow us to get wider information that was not obtainable before. That said, IAI always feel that we are just in the beginning and have a long way ahead of us." One concept of operation (CONOP) currently being explored by the company is feeding UAV image intelligence (IMINT) and other data from alternative airborne payloads back to a mothership platform, such as the IAF's G550 Gulfstream business jet for an onboard fusion and processing, exploitation, and dissemination (PED) capability. Another potential growth area for the IDF and Israel's unmanned industry will be the integration of airborne early warning (AEW) and signals intelligence (SIGINT) capabilities on board UAVs: a concept already being undertaken by the main players in the industry. At the Paris Air Show IAI's ELTA Systems subsidiary publicised work with Austrian UAS manufacturer Schiebel to integrate a communications intelligence (COMINT) payload on board Schiebel's S-100 Camcopter. "EW is a major usage in turning UAVs into advanced SIGINT platforms and this is one of the major roles of these types of system today," said IAI Malat's Bonen. "The size of EW payloads is one of the reasons why UAV platforms are increasing in size and weight and this is being done on all types of [unmanned] platforms." The ELK-7065 Airborne HF COMINT/DF system is designed to find and fix communications signals before cross-cuing a geo-locating payload that direction-finds the transmissions. "The system tags and identifies signals characteristics in a multi-dimensional domain composed of signal identifiers such as power, centre frequency, modulation, geo-location, polarisation, and more," said an IAI spokesperson. "These techniques enable swift labelling of the received signals, identification and reliable electronic order of battle [EOB] generation [and] the unique front-end technology allows installation on board compact airborne platforms, such as mission aircraft of all sizes and UAVs." Elsewhere, IAI's Tamam Division has designed the M-19 HD multi-sensor payload: a derivative of the company's Multi-Mission Optronic Stablized Payload (MOSP). The M-19 payload is understood to have undergone flight trials on board IAI's Heron UAV in February, although the payload is envisaged to be carried on board the Heron TP airframe. It could also be carried by high-altitude long-endurance (HALE) and medium-altitude long-endurance (MALE) aircraft in addition to manned platforms and aerostats, with various industry parties considering such a concept. Article 1 Page 6 of 10
The sensor comprises a stabilised gimbal that controls a mid-wave infrared (MWIR) high-definition (HD) imager, two HD charged couple device (CCD) TV cameras, a low light camera, a narrow-field-of-view shortwave infrared (SWIR) camera, a laser rangefinder, and a designator. Export potential The Israel defence industry's efforts to equip the IDF with suitable and effective UAVs forms just a fraction of its business, however, with lessons learned being proliferated to users around the world. Elbit's combined sales in Asia and South America surpassed those in the US for the first time in 2014, rising to 35% of sales (USD3 billion) from just 28% in 2013, although these figures do not just include UAV contracts. The company also expects ongoing efforts to support increased expenditure from governments in the Asia- Pacific AO to grow each year to 2018. The US Defense Department's 'pivot' towards the Asia Pacific and ongoing tensions with China in the region look set to drive demand for Elbit Systems solutions in the future. Copyright IHS Global Limited, 2015 For the full version and more content: IHS Jane's Defence Industry and Markets Intelligence Centre This analysis is taken from IHS Jane s Defence Industry & Markets Intelligence Centre, which provides world-leading analysis of commercial, industrial and technological defence developments, budget and programme forecasts, and insight into new and emerging defence markets around the world. IHS defence industry and markets news and analysis is also available within IHS Jane s Defence Weekly. To learn more and to subscribe to IHS Jane s Defence Weekly online, offline or print visit http://magazines.ihs.com/. For advertising solutions contact the IHS Jane s Advertising team Article 1 Page 7 of 10