Israel will be represented at the FIFA Football World Cup Finals in Brazil this year!
OK, not playing actual football: Israel has a very hard time qualifying for this event because it is forced to play in the hyper-competetive European qualification rounds by the racism of it’s neighbours. If Israel were allowed to compete with countries in the Middle East and North Africa instead, there is a good chance it could qualify.
So what part of Israel is going to the World Cup Finals? Security stuff of course. Israeli company Elbit Systems has sold some more unmanned ariel vehicles (UAVs or drones) to the Brazilian Air Force:
The Brazilian Air Force will operate a combined UAS array, including new Hermes 900 as well as Hermes 450 which are already in operational use
Both Hermes 450 and Hermes 900 will carry safety and security missions in the 2014 FIFA World Cup Games
HAIFA, Israel, March 26, 2014 /PRNewswire/ — Elbit Systems Ltd. (NASDAQ and TASE: ESLT) (“Elbit Systems”) announced today that it was awarded a contract by the Brazilian Air Force (“FAB”) for the supply of a Hermes 900 Unmanned Aircraft System (“UAS”). The Hermes 900, which will be equipped with a new and advanced intelligence gathering system considered as a breakthrough operational solution, will be operated by FAB in combined missions with the Hermes 450 fleet, already in operational use. Both UAS will carry safety and security missions in the 2014 FIFA World Cup Games. The contract is in an amount that is not material to Elbit Systems, and the Hermes 900 will be supplied within two months.Elad Aharonson, General Manager – Elbit Systems UAS Division, commented: “We are very proud to supply our Hermes 900 to FAB, which is the eighth customer to be equipped with this leading platform. We are honored to enable FAB to benefit from the advantages of joint flight operations, using both the Hermes 450 and the Hermes 900, a unique solution for intelligence missions, border protection, perimeter control of infrastructure and critical sites, as well as Safe City programs and large scale events.”
Hermes 900, already in service with the Israeli Air Force and additional world leading armed forces, offers longer endurance, flight altitude of 30,000 ft. and a large payload capacity, suitable for carrying a wide range of payloads as well as capabilities to operate in adverse weather. The UAS is highly autonomous, enabling automatic takeoff and landing and includes advanced avionics and electronic systems. The system allows for joint flight missions with the Hermes 450, controlled and operated from the same universal ground control station, transmitting the gathered imagery, while using various communications systems.
Elbit Systems subsidiary in Brazil, AEL SYSTEMAS S.A. will supply FAB with technical and engineering support as well as logistic and maintenance services. The Porto Alegre based company has approximately 200 employees and is involved in many Brazilian defense projects, both for FAB and for the Brazilian Army, in the areas of platform upgrades and logistic and technical support.
