Israel’s Unmanned Systems Event: Final Rehearsal

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By iHLS NewsDesk

The final rehearsal for the unmanned systems event to be held at the Rishon Lezion YES Planet compound, Israel, on November 26, took place this morning. The event is organized and managed by iHLS.

Flocks of birds were circling around in the skies above west Rishon Lezion, when suddenly they were scared away by the noise of engines: A huge, man-made bird, the Heron IAI, appeared.

That was the opening for the final rehearsal which took place this morning, the rehearsal for an unprecedented aviation event: The AUS&R 2013 convention for unmanned systems and robots, taking place on November 26 at the YES Planet compound in west Rishon Lezion. The convention is unique due to the combination of lectures, static exhibition and live display of UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles), UGVs (unmanned ground vehicles) and USVs (unmanned surface vehicles), in addition to a combined display of unmanned systems and robotics.

The IAI Heron took to the air in Ein Shemer, and made its way above the sea to the display area in Rishon Lezion, in front of all those who came to watch the rehearsal and especially in front of the iHLS team, the event organizers and managers. After the Heron came the Amstaff’s turn, with an excellent performance. It’s not a dog, it’s an unmanned, robotic ground vehicle, designed for several important battlefield duties: supplying ammunition, food and water and rescuing wounded personnel. The next stage was again airborne – a flight display by the Orbiter 2, designed by Aeronautics. On the day of the event, November 26, the full display will include seven aircraft, three ground vehicles and one unmanned boat on the nearby lake.

Today the audience included hundreds of local students, who watched the display rehearsal with interest. On November 26many guests from Israel and abroad will participate, all of them professionals in the unmanned systems world: Officers from a few air forces, acquisitions managers for foreign armies, businessmen, defense industry representatives, engineers, military attaches and defense media representatives. The YES Planet static exhibition will include finished products, aircraft, robotic vehicles and various system components.

The precise logistic-aeronautic work done in preparation for the event proved to be a success, and the rehearsal went on without a glitch. Dan Tamir, manager of aerial coordination, said that this is the first public display of aircraft that includes unmanned vehicles flying at low altitudes in close proximity to residential areas. The rehearsal and event needed to be organized in coordination with several civilian and military authorities: The Civilian Flight Authority, which is responsible for all flights in Israel; the Airport Authority, responsible for civilian air traffic in and out of the country; and the Air Force, which defends Israel’s skies and is responsible for military and civilian flight control. The Air Force, in addition, operates a nearby air field at Palmachim.

IHLS – Israel Homeland Security

Today, and even more so on November 26, the central-Israeli airspace will be closed off for flights, Air Force flight schedules for that day will change, and roads will be blocked in west Rishon Lezion: All that for the full display of unmanned vehicles. Broadcast frequencies also have to be coordinated, since unmanned vehicles are controlled electronically and frequency discipline has to be maintained.

The live display includes operational demonstrations as well. Squads of mock-enemies will position themselves throughout the area, and the vehicles will be tested in a variety of scenarios, such as rocket fire or terror attacks. The operators will locate the “enemy” and direct the unmanned vehicles towards their targets, engaging and neutralizing them.

Special cameras will follow all these scenarios, and the footage will be transmitted real-time to large displays, installed both inside the YES Planet cinema theaters and outside, for the hundreds of visitors watching.

The keynote speaker at the event will be Maj. Gen. (Res.) Eitan Ben Eliahu, former Air Force Commander, and other lecturers include representatives from IAI, Rafael, Elisra, Controp, Aeronautics, Blue Bird, and many more.

Among the issues to be discussed: Unmanned vehicles and the art of war, trends in the UAV world, UAVs in the maritime arena, UAVs for the civilian market, anti-UAV capabilities of terrorist organizations, and cyber-threats on autonomous capabilities.