Click to see full-size image. (Israeli Defense Forces)
The Israeli Navy deployed in recent weeks for the first time unmanned vessels, also known as drone boats, in Israel’s exclusive economic zone, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) revealed on May 27.
“The vessels have the capability to construct a broad maritime picture and are engaged in monitoring and characterizing the movement of vessels within the exclusive economic zone,” the IDF said in a statement.
“The information derived from the vessels is collected, documented, and used by the IDF for threat analysis and force deployment in the maritime theater and in the mission of protecting the strategic assets of the State of Israel,” it added.
A photo released by the IDF alongside the statement showed what appears to be a Voyager drone boat made by the United States-based Saildrone.
The Voyager, which is 10-meter long, is powered by wind and solar energy, allowing months-long operations without needing an onboard crew.
The drone is designed for maritime security tasks and nearshore ocean mapping, featuring a multibeam sonar system that can map the seafloor down to 300 meters. It is also equipped with intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance packages, including an electro-optical system, a maritime radar, and passive underwater acoustic sensors.
Interestingly, Voyager’s data link system is built around a Starlink satellite internet terminal. This means that the drone boat can be operated from very much anywhere in the world.
There were no reports of Saildrone exporting the Voyager to Israel. Nevertheless, the U.S. The Navy deployed such drone boats off the shores of Israel and neighboring Lebanon, as well as the Red Sea and the Persian Gulf in the past to counter weapons traffickers.
These drone boats will help the IDF keep a close eye on Israeli waters, in addition to shores of neighboring Lebanon and Syria.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
SouthFront: Analysis and Intelligence
NOW hosted at southfront.press
Previously, SouthFront: Analysis and Intelligence was at southfront.org.
The .org domain name had been blocked by the US (NATO) (https://southfront.press/southfront-org-blocked-by-u-s-controlled-global-internet-supervisor/) globally, outlawed and without any explanation
Back before that, from 2013 to 2015, SouthFront: Analysis and Intelligence was at southfront.com
