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| Israel-Palestine |
| Israel can now spot, destroy roadside bombs from air |
| 2004-06-10 |
| Via Drudge - intelligent use of UAV’s Israel’s military has succeeded in detecting and neutralizing improvised explosive devices from the air. Israeli officials said the Israel Defense Forces have combined air and ground forces to detect IEDs during military operations in the Gaza Strip. They said the military used unmanned air vehicles and helicopters to locate and neutralize bombs during the invasion of the southern Gaza Strip in May. The method was used during Operation Rainbow, the incursion into Rafah in which the military searched for insurgents and weapons smuggling tunnels. Palestinian insurgents fought Israeli troops with light arms, rocket-propelled grenades, mortars and mines, Middle East Newsline reported. The Israeli military used a combination of air platforms to locate and destroy the IEDs. Officials said the Searcher unmanned air vehicle detected the bombs placed in alleyways and streets in Rafah. When the IEDs were located, the Israel Air Force summoned an Apache AH-64A attack helicopter to fire a missile to destroy the bombs. [On late Tuesday, an Israeli Apache AH-64A attack helicopter fired missiles toward what a military spokesman said was a Hamas facility in Gaza City that produced Kassam-class short-range missiles. Israeli military sources said the missile strike was in response to the Hamas firing of Kassam missiles toward Israel.] The military released a video that showed Palestinian insurgents planting dozens of explosive charges in residential areas of Rafah during the Israeli invasion. The video showed a UAV spotting one IED and directing an attack helicopter to destroy the bomb. In the video, released on June 6, the Apache was seen firing a single missile, which contained submunitions. The missile destroyed several IEDs. The video also showed UAVs tracking insurgents with RPGs. In one part of the video, the UAV detected insurgents who had planted an IED and concealed it with a sheet of plastic. The UAV then helped guide the Apache, which destroyed the bomb. Officials said that during these operations the UAV and the helicopter were in constant communication. The air platforms were also linked to ground-based systems and tactical computers used by infantry and armored commanders in Rafah. |
| Posted by:Frank G |
| #9 Impressive. In addition to the neutralization measures, I would deal with the locals who don't report the planting of RSBs, by evacuating and then destroying the two closest building to the RSB site. Similar IDF actions have resulted in untold number of Pale informants coming forward. The terrorists don't have 100% support in the IDF operational areas, thanks to IDF retaliation practices. Hearts-and-Minds only goes so far. |
| Posted by: Dog Bites Trolls 2004-06-10 10:14:10 PM |
| #8 BAR - at the price of a loaded humvee - 4 Americans, we can afford it, regardless. Who says the UAV's have to be unarmed? |
| Posted by: Frank G 2004-06-10 9:44:22 PM |
| #7 When the IEDs were located, the Israel Air Force summoned an Apache AH-64A attack helicopter to fire a missile to destroy the bombs. One question: how much does each of these missiles cost? I would hope that they are relatively cheap. If not, the more IEDs that are planted, the pricier each clearing operation becomes. |
| Posted by: Bomb-a-rama 2004-06-10 9:22:48 PM |
| #6 This is great counter terrorist news, which the American, British and other 'loyal' allies must have while serving in Iraq & Afghanistan combating the Islamic horde. |
| Posted by: Mark Espinola 2004-06-10 8:01:28 PM |
| #5 No Fair! |
| Posted by: AntiPasto 2004-06-10 7:51:29 PM |
| #4 The military released a video that showed Palestinian insurgents planting dozens of explosive charges in residential areas of Rafah during the Israeli invasion. I'm sure ABC/NBC/CBS/CNN/BBC/etc... will show these videos on the evening news.... (But I won't be holding my breath...). |
| Posted by: CrazyFool 2004-06-10 6:36:14 PM |
| #3 That's the hard part, jules. You need a certain kind of optics for that, and unless Israel can put up TONS of UAVs in the air for this purpose, that won't do. However, I'm impressed! Perhaps the US military in Iraq should borrow this idea? |
| Posted by: Edward Yee 2004-06-10 3:13:51 PM |
| #2 Impressive. Now let's go one step further and spot/destroy BOMBERS. |
| Posted by: jules 187 2004-06-10 1:20:51 PM |
| #1 Very Cool! - Combined with the "Microwave a Mullah" weapon, they can now kill them faster than they can breed. Cockroach and Termite extermination policy applied to Head-Bowlers, Hammyz, and the Cicadas. (Hez'bolah, Hamas, al-Qaeda) Go IDF! |
| Posted by: BigEd 2004-06-10 1:18:34 PM |