Have drones will travel

[Mediocrates]

Israel unveils (2 years ago actually, just reiterating the point again) a long rang high loiter drone that can serve as a kind of strategic bomber or reconnaissance pod. The Heron-2 Eitan.

http://www.commentarymagazine.com/blogs/index.php/pollak/242001

The odd bulbous shape of the nose is typical of large stand off radar arrays including AESA type phased arrays. Note also that the Eitan is not exactly a Heron TP but an evolution of it. Heron TPs are already used by Canada and Germany.

[I am David 2]

Yes but can it carry a bunker buster?

Israel needs a real strategic bomber. Why couldn't they have made it bigger, enough for two bunker busters? I imagine scaling up the autonomous control software shouldn't be a problem, which is really the only technical reason they couldn't do this.

Just doesn't seem like it can handle the job.

[Mediocrates]

It has a max payload of 1000 kilos most of which is sensors and electronics. To outfit it with hardpoints for JDAM would require quite a bit of work. SDBs might be possible but neither JDAMs nor SDBs are 'bunker busters'. In fact there really aren't any workable bunker busters anywhere in the world short of a tactical nuke. I would guess that a Heron-2 would be more useful screwing with ground radars.

It's not all that easy to make it bigger. At least not to acquire long range/long loiter. Of course it more than likely has air refueling but you still need a tanker flying nearby.

[I am David 2]

It's not all that easy to make it bigger. At least not to acquire long range/long loiter. Of course it more than likely has air refueling but you still need a tanker flying nearby.

Yeah but in terms of designing it from the start to be bigger and heavier lifting? I just can't imagine that having a heavier airframe, bigger engines and more wing area would significantly increase the complexity of manufacture. Either way that size range of the aircraft industry is so evolved it could take advantage of a lot of off the shelf products, both for manufacture techniques and components. The first strategic bombing-capable UAV on the market could be a hot seller.

But I suppose with the exception of Iran, there might not be a need, and given that Israel might not even benefit from bombing Iran (lack of intel), would mean it was wasted effort for the domestic market anyway.


To outfit it with hardpoints for JDAM would require quite a bit of work.

I thought the consensus was that these UAVs in IAF inventory already had weapons capability. Is the JDAM standard so much different?

[bararallu]

A Jdam weighs a crap load.