Israel’s military claims its armed drones drop silent, smokeless gravity bombs that are difficult for targets to detect in advance. There are aircraft models that can carry as much as a tonne of bombs.

It wasn’t until July that Israel finally admitted it has armed drones in its arsenal after keeping their existence secret for over two decades. An Israeli officer explained the organizational structure of the air force and artillery in November.

Israel has a long history of drone development and innovation, and their drones have been used for surveillance, reconnaissance, target acquisition, and strike missions. Some of the notable Israeli UAVs include the Heron, Harop, and Hermes models, among others.

These drones often carry smaller payloads, such as guided missiles or precision-guided munitions, rather than one tonne of explosives or free-fall bombs. The specific capabilities and payloads of Israeli drones may vary depending on the model and the intended mission.

For the most accurate and up-to-date information on Israeli drone capabilities, it is recommended to refer to reliable sources such as official statements, defense publications, or reports from credible news outlets specializing in military affairs.

These unmanned aircraft can be used for bombing missions or observation missions, and then they can return to base. They are not the same as the kamikaze drones that Iran claims were used in an attack against a defence plant in Isfahan over the weekend; Israel has remained silent on this matter.

A senior Israeli military official told Reuters the fleet of armed drones includes the airliner-sized Heron TP made by state-owned Israel Aerospace Industries and the smaller Hermes from Elbit Systems Ltd. . The first, the officer said, “is not a fighter jet, but a drone.”

The first, the official said, “is the heaviest drone the IDF ( Israel Defense Forces ) has, which can carry ammunition, with an effective payload of around one ton.”

Israeli military secret

Israeli manufacturers do not publicize the ωεɑρσռs capabilities of the drones, under what industry sources have described as a secrecy policy of the Defense Ministry.

The official, who did not identify himself in line with military requirements given the issue’s sensitivity, said any sales of bombing-capable drones would be government-to-government, denying the need for publicity.

The official said that all drone munitions are Israeli-made and “descend in free fall and can reach the speed of sound.”

These pumps do not have propulsion systems that generate the noise and smoke characteristic of after fuels. The official declined to elaborate on the munitions, saying only that, by design, when an armed drone strikes, “no one will hear it, no one will see it coming.”

However, this would be a high enough altitude that the drones’ propeller motors cannot be clearly heard on the ground. In winter w̫a̫r̫s̫, like Israel’s in Gaza in 2008-2009, drones have to fly below the clouds for their targeting cameras to work, which means they could be heard.

“The surprise factor is lost,” says the officer.