JERUSALEM (JTA) — Israel’s Air Force unveiled a new drone that it says is capable of reaching Iran.
The Eitan, one of the largest unmanned aerial vehicles in the world, was launched Sunday at an official ceremony.
Made by the government-owned Israel Aerospace Industries, the Heron TP airplane can fly at medium to high altitudes for more than 20 hours carrying heavy payloads for thousands of miles.
The Israel Defense Forces used the Eitan prototype over Gaza during last winter’s Operation Cast Lead.
"The launching of this airplane is another substantial landmark in the development of unmanned aerial vehicles," Maj.-Gen. Ido Nehushtan, the commander of the Air Force, said at the ceremony.
