From the Liveblog of
Monday, April 8, 2024
Air Force announces formation of new ‘Battering Ram’ drone squadron
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleEmanuel (Mannie) Fabian is The Times of Israel's military correspondent
The Israeli Air Force announces the formation of a new drone squadron that will operate the Elbit Hermes 900 unmanned aerial vehicle.
The 147th Squadron, known as “The Battering Ram,” was inaugurated at Palmachim Airbase yesterday.
The military says the squadron was established as part of plans in the IAF to double its Hermes 900 operations amid the war, and other changes to the UAV array.
Palmachim houses the only other Hermes 900 squadron, the 166th.
The Hermes 900 drone is used by the IDF for attack and surveillance missions in the Gaza Strip, the West Bank, Lebanon, and other areas.
Speaking at the ceremony yesterday, IAF chief Maj. Gen. Tomer Bar said the new squadron was a “tremendous addition.”
“In this justified war, the entire UAV array demonstrates operational competence and extremely high operational effectiveness. Thousands of Hamas operatives killed, a variety of [surveillance] and intelligence missions, availability and flexibility 24/7, over a period of six months,” Bar says.
The Times of Israel Community.