One model of interest to the Russians is the 4.6 ton Israeli Heron TP UAV which packs a 1,200 horsepower turbo prop engine and an operational ceiling of 45,000 feet, which is above commercial air traffic. The Heron TP accepts one ton payload and it can carry sensors that offer a detailed view of ground elements from high altitude. With an endurance of 36 hours, the Heron TP is in a similar class to the U.S. MQ-9 Reaper (or Predator B). The Herons have been in service longer than the Predators and have a comparable track record. India and European nations are also considering the Heron TP, which are also suitable for maritime patrol. This makes the Heron TP a low cost competitor to the Global Hawk, which has far more range than most nations need for their naval reconnaissance aircraft. Using UAVs in cooperation with their warplanes, Israel was able to shut down the Syrian Air Force (and destroy 86 aircraft) in a few days. Israel pioneered the use of UAVs for real-time surveillance, electronic warfare, and as decoys.
Russia is in a situation similar to that of the United States in the 1970s when UAVs were not on the DoD’s drawing board. The Russian UAVs have short duration (a few hours) and have reliability challenges. With Russia exporting high performance, long range S-300 surface-to-air (SAM) anti-aircraft missiles to Iran, and Israel seeking a method by which they could block such weapons commerce, Israel may now have some leverage by assisting Russia in the UAV department — should S-300s be negated from departure for Iran.
