The Israeli Air Force Sunday launched a new unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), dubbed "Eitan," that can stay in the air 24 hours and can reach Iran. During the ceremony, attended by Air Force Commander Major General Ido Nehushtan, the UAV was officially transferred from the Israel Aerospace Industries to the IAF.
“The ‘Eitan’ marks a technological breakthrough and a new level in the Air Force's ability to operate against threats, near and far, in its every day missions and during emergencies,” IDF spokesmen said.
Military officials at the ceremony declined to say whether the new UAV was designed for use against Iran and did not specifically mention the Islamic Republic, but foreign news services noted that the Eitan can fly as far as Iran. Similar drones were first used during Israel's Gaza war last year.
"The launching of this airplane is another substantial landmark in the development of unmanned aerial vehicles.” Maj.-Gen. Nehushtan said. “They have gone from the humble beginning of their development, with initial operational results during the first Lebanon war, to the substantial and professional apparatus that now accompanies almost any air force operational frame work.”