DoubleTapper: Protector USV

Protector USV

Reports of Israeli unmanned surface vessel on patrol in the Persian Gulf, are all over the internet.

Developed by Israel’s Rafael Armament Development Authority in response to emerging terrorist threats against maritime assets, the Protector USV (aka Death Shark) is stealthy, highly autonomous and can operate with general guidance from a commander in port, riverine, harbor and coastal waterways in a variety of roles, thanks to the plug-and-play design of its various mission modules, such as force protection, anti-terror, surveillance and reconnaissance, mine warfare and electronic warfare. The options include a highly accurate, stabilized mini-Typhoon weapon system with an excellent hit-and-kill probability, plus cameras, search radar and a Toplite electro-optical (EO) pod for detection, identification and targeting operations.

The Protector USV is a mature and operationally proven system currently operational in several naval forces worldwide including Israel's IDF, Singapore, and is being reviewed by the USA, India and South Korea.

Full specs here and here

DoubleTapper: Protector USV

DoubleTapper: The Long Arm of IDF Naval Commandos

The Long Arm of IDF Naval Commandos

IDF Naval Commandos intercepted the Iranian cargo ship, the "Francop", which was laden with roughly 500 tons of weapons hidden amongst civilian cargo.

The 36 weapons containers were sent from Iran and were en-route to the Hezbollah terrorist organization in Lebanon. This shipment contained enough weaponry to keep the Hezbollah terrorists supplied for a full month of fighting.

From the IDF Spokesman:

"After being boarded, the ship was then "requested" to make way to the Israeli Naval Port of Ashdod for a complete inspection and inventory of the illegal weapons cargo.

The naval commando force boarded the vessel and conducted an initial search. The search was conducted in accordance with the usual search protocols as dictated by International Law.

Following the initial search and after it became clear that the vessel was carrying weapons, the vessel was directed by the Israel Navy to dock at the Israeli Ashdod Naval base for additional searches and a detailed inspection of the hull’s cargo. It should be emphasized that the captain of the ship agreed to the search. The Israel Navy conducted all activity without any force.

The weapons found onboard the ship originate from Iran, and were intended for the Hezbollah terror organization, for use against the State of Israel and its citizens. The weapons uncovered at sea last night constitute a harsh violation of UN Security Council Resolutions 1747 and 1701 that strictly forbid Iran from exporting or trading any form of weapons."


"The overnight operation was authorized by the Prime Minister and the Minister of Defense of the State of Israel. Commander of the Israel Navy, Maj. Gen. Eliezer Marom, commanded the operation from a forward command cell. The IDF Chief of the General Staff authorized the operation, after the confirmation of intelligence information gathered by the IDF."

And of course the Iranians are as glib as ever:

In Tehran, Syria's Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem dismissed Israeli allegations the ship carried arms.

"Unfortunately, some pirates sometimes take action in the name of inspection and prevent the sailing of commercial ships," he was quoted as saying by the state IRNA news agency during a visit Wednesday. "This ship was carrying goods from Syria heading to Iran and was not carrying weapons making materials."

See the pictures and video here

DoubleTapper: The Long Arm of IDF Naval Commandos

NEW REVOLUTIONARY WEAPONS USED BY IDF

New Revolutionary Weapons Used by IDF

20 February 2009 , 12:30

Arnon Ben Dror

This week, IDF Ground Forces released information about new weapons that were used for the first time by forces during Operation Cast Lead. For the past two years, the development process took place and new weaponry was put to use by the IDF, including: grenade launchers, mortars. and means of advanced sniping. This was done as part of a multi-year project designed to improve the operational capabilities of infantry forces.

During Operation Cast Lead, the IDF made extensive use of robots for the purpose of crawling under tunnels and buildings in order to minimize casualties among soldiers. One of the robots used by forces was the Bull Island, which is a camera shaped as a tennis ball that can be thrown into any building and transfers 360 degree imagery to the troops on the ground outside of the structure. This camera, as well as other robots, used by the IDF helped to identify booby-trapped houses, or buildings with armed terrorists, thus minimizing the risk of IDF casualties.

In addition, the IDF also presented a new type of APC (armored personnel carrier) that Golani forces used during the operation. The main purpose of the APC is to transport infantry soldiers, and it is characterized by high speed and extra protection, making them of more use than the previous APC model. The new APC can also carry vast amounts of troops and is able to scan and attack from within. The new APC is more durable than any other ever used by the IDF in the face of anti-tank missiles and is expected to be used by all infantry forces during this year.

In this picture:a Matador missle that was used during Operation Cast Lead.

Another new weapon was introduced-- the Matador missile, which is intended to penetrate structures. The missile was first designed to serve as an anti-tank missile and was later used against structures. The missile referred to by some of the commanders as "My private tank" is more powerful than the Lau missile that the IDF used previously and is also designed to protect soldiers, rather than forcing them to use large tools and bulldozers to demolish structures.

taken from the IDF site (http://dover.idf.il/IDF/English/)