Training in the Israeli desert

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Peter Zychowicz 14-10-2010, last updated: 14-10-2010 1:58
Aerostar unmanned aircraft will be through the eyes of the Polish Army in Afghanistan. The Taliban no longer feel safe

Source: Fotorzepa
Poland bought the Israeli company eight Aerostar unmanned aircraft for over 30 million dollars
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Correspondence from Kibbutz Gvulot
Negev Desert, central Israel. Away from the main road is the old airport. Rickety fence, piles of rusted barrels of fuel, the remains of the barracks. At first glance - is forgotten by the humans ruin. Quickly the fence appears, however, armed guard in dark glasses and jarmułce on the head. Simply enter the gate and to see that the runway is being renovated, and the depth of the airport facing modern air-conditioned pavilions.
Above the pavilion waving Israeli and Polish flags. Revolves around several postawnych, short cropped men with Slavic features. Although we do not wear uniforms, because the territory of Israel is an unofficial, you understand immediately that it was the soldiers. Poles from the 49th Combat Helicopter Regiment, stationed on a daily basis in Mirosławiec (Western).
As a small glider
What are they doing in the middle of the Negev desert, a few thousand kilometers away from their units? Here comes to an end of specialist training soldiers, who soon will go even further - to Afghanistan. There will handle high-tech unmanned reconnaissance aircraft Aerostar, which Poland bought the Israeli company Aeronautics. We witness the flight of one of the machines.
Four of art stand in line in a small hangar. Aerostar painted gray looks like a large model airplane battery or a small glider. Machine with a wingspan of 7.5 meters at first glance does not make much of an impression. However, it is worth a fortune. Sam camera placed in the chassis cost five hundred thousand U.S. dollars. That he is the most important part of the structure.
The soldiers drag the plane. On the wings and tail, more than the identification number 2304, painted Polish chessboards. A small engine is running with a terrible bang. You have to impose protective headphones. The machine on the runway, gaining speed rapidly, to rise slightly over the top. After a few moments of black silhouette disappear in the sky.
We move to the painted in the colors of the protective container with an antenna, from which Polish soldiers control the machine. The interior looks like the cockpit of the spaceship from "Star Wars". Control Devices, innumerable buttons, radar, maps and virtual computer screens on which you can see the camera image Aerostar. It is equipped with an excellent lens, which allows several kilometers just to read the registration plate of the car.
Save lives
- I think that will save aerostary in Afghanistan, many of our colleagues - say a camera control mission commander Captain Maria Antkiewicz. - Thanks to them we will be able to timely detect people who are trying to do us harm. In this way, they lose one of its main strengths: the element of surprise.
Machines will be able to track every movement of the Taliban. This will minimize the risk of ambush or attack on any of the Polish base. A large part of Polish losses in Afghanistan, it is due to traps. Now aerostary will monitor the roads, which are moving our soldiers.
- To give away 200 pounds of explosives in the road, it takes three hours. Even if you do not Cover the Taliban in the act, and so we see from the air that something is wrong. Sand from the deep, who, during the digging is at the top, because it is colder. In the infrared we find that has a different shade, and we detect a face - says Leszek Jaśniak Sergeant.
Range aircraft is over 200 km. The chance that the area the enemy was able to do something without the knowledge of Polish soldiers, is small.
Tested in war
All self-respecting modern armies of the world are now using unmanned aircraft. Polish Army already uses the orbiters, the smaller machines with a much shorter range, also produced by Aeronautics. Aerostary is a good step forward. Poland bought eight units for more than 30 million dollars. The four have two weeks to get to Afghanistan, four will be used in the country.
- The advantage of our bezzałogowców is that they are constantly in action. They take part in the wars led by Israel and the counter-terrorism operations. So we are not only academics but also practitioners. We can give you the technology, but also the experience - he explains Itay Sherman of Aeronautics. - The Israeli army used our machines during the recent intervention in the Gaza Strip. The soldiers were extremely pleased with them.
Unmanned planes, and cameras placed on balloons floating in the nearby Gaza Strip, the Israelis have allowed an opponent to prevent a lot of action. Belt at all times to monitor no-mans land between the border of Israel and the buildings of the city of Gaza. Palestinian militants routinely tried to get through this belt. On the outskirts of arranging and rocket launchers.
What happens when it detects worrying Aerostar enemy activity? - When the plane locates a target, he immediately sends the coordinates to base. Within fractions of seconds in a place they can be sprinkled with artillery shells or rockets. Everything happens so fast that the opponent does not even know what hit him - he explains Sherman.
Polish soldiers are trained in Israel for four months (interestingly, the Israelis control manual aerostarów takes two years). During this time Gvulot lived near the airport. Praise the Jewish inhabitants of the kibbutz, who not only ate them, but also invited to participate in their celebrations.
A valued ally
- We were surprised at how Jews are positively disposed to the Poles. It's really very nice, hospitable people - says one of the soldiers, who wants to remain anonymous because of the impending trip to Afghanistan. - Made a huge impression on us as guys who we have trained. The Israelis really know the craft of war.
The Israelis have invited the Poles to Jerusalem, where they saw the holy places, also visited Yad Vashem. Are already familiar with the fundamental Hebrew words such as "toda" (thank you) or "boker-tov" (good morning).
Contract for aerostary is just one of many Israeli-Polish projects in the field of security. Collaborate intensively both armies, arms companies, and above all the special services.
- Poland is a country highly valued in Israeli military circles. It's for the Israeli army really important and valuable partner. We have the same enemies and the same friends - said Yossi Melman, a famous Israeli journalist and military expert.
According to him, military cooperation between the Polish and Israel is part of a broader trend. - Just 20 years ago your country was of a very bad press. Was accused of complicity in the Holocaust. Now the Poles are one of the most popular nations among the Jews. The Israelis think of Poland with nostalgia as a country of their ancestors, but also as a proven ally in whose can always count - emphasizes Melman.

"בניתי לי בית ונטעתי לי גן במקום זה שביקש האויב לגרשנו ממנו בניתי את ביתי, כנגד מקום המקדש בניתיו. כדי להעלות על ליבי תמיד את בית מחמדנו החרב...."
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