Hey Barry, has not backing Israel's worry about it's existence under Iranian nukes, helped the american people's security in this one? Russia gets DRONE TECH?Moscow offered Israel $1 billion for unmanned aerial vehicle tech
LONDON -- A U.S. State Department cable reported a Russian offer for Israeli unmanned aerial vehicle technology.The November 2009 cable, acquired and released by WikiLeaks, said the Kremlin offered Israel $1 billion as well as the cancellation of a Russian contract to supply the S-300PMU1 air defense system to Iran.
The cable reported on a meeting between U.S. Undersecretary of State Ellen Tauscher and Defense Ministry official Amos Gilad. Gilad told his American interlocutor of the Russian offer, but added that Israel would not supply advanced UAV technology to Moscow.
Gilad was also quoted as saying that any advanced Israeli technology relayed to Moscow would be transferred to China. Washington has forced Israel to end arms sales to Beijing, which also purchased Israeli UAVs.
The cable highlighted Russia's interest in Israeli UAVs. Moscow was reported to have signed three UAV deals with Israel worth more than $500 million for both exports as well as production in Russia.
In September 2010, Russia announced the cancellation of the S-300 deal with Iran. Days later, Israel and Russia announced a joint venture in UAVs.
Firm testing advanced variants of unmanned aerial vehicles
TEL AVIV — Israel has been conducting trials of what was termed an advanced tactical unmanned aerial vehicle.Israel's Aeronautics Defense Systems has been testing the Aerostar-C, deemed a modernized variant of an existing tactical UAV. Aeronautics, regarded as a leading Israeli UAV developer, intends to market Aerostar-C to Israel and other militaries.
"The upgraded UAV will be clearly superior to its predecessor," an executive said.
Aerostar-C, with a wing span of nine meters, marked a significantly larger platform than the heritage system. The C model was also designed for an endurance of 24 hours and payload of 100 kilograms.
Executives said Aerostar's communications and data links were also being upgraded. They said the platform would be able to communicate through a multi-channel data link at a range of more than 200 kilometers.
Aeronautics has also been nearing completion of its new Orbiter-3 UAV, a miniature platform with a wing span of 3.6 meters. Orbiter-3, meant for surveillance missions, was designed for an endurance of seven hours and range of 100 kilometers.
The company has sold about 150 UAVs, with clients including NATO members. Aeronautics was said to have deployed some of its UAV platforms in Afghanistan.