During the recent Lebanon war, IDF is suspected to has fired
missiles( Spike ER?) using their UAV against enemy targets.
The most likely suspect is the Hermes 450 as reported here:
http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/generic/story_generic.jsp?channel=awst&id=news/aw082106p2.xml
But toward the end of the conflict, few missiles were fired from
UAVs during the daytime, and they were spotted by ground observers.
A least one of them claimed he was in a convoy of civilian
automobiles that was attacked.
As recently as June, Israeli aerospace industry officials said the
decision had not been made to arm the UAVs for political reasons.
IAF officials simply would not discuss the capability. Israeli
industry officials said the first UAV designed to carry and launch
missiles would not be rolled out for another 18 months. That may be
true in a strict sense, but it's now known that an
"already-developed [UAV] capability," was adapted to fire missiles
in this latest conflict, says an Israeli official with insight into
the effort.
Details are still sketchy about which aircraft was used.
Several officials in Israel say the armed UAVs are not Israel
Aircraft Industries' Heron, which just became operational in July,
nor the longer-serving Searcher II. The only other operational UAV
deemed big enough to carry an effective weapons payload is Elbit's
Hermes 450. The Hermes 450 was seen in flight in 2002 at
Palmachim AB, where it was being operated by 200 (UAV) squadron.
The IAF has always been guarded about the UAV's mission and status.
The military said it was only in a test program, but aerospace
industry officials contradicted them, saying that the Hermes 450
was already flying operational
missions.......................
To answer those needs, Rafael developed the Spike-ER
(extended-range) missile, with a range of about 5 mi., that offers
a dual electro-optical and infrared seeker to help locate concealed
targets (AW&ST June 16, 2003, p. 151). Another advantage over
the Hellfire is that the Spike can be flown into the target by an
operator, or it can be operated as a fire-and-forget system.
In fact, Rafael has devised several air-launched configurations for
Spike-ER, including a four-pack launcher for use on such attack
helicopters as the Cobra, but also two-pack versions for smaller
rotorcraft. A Hermes 450, with a payload capacity of around
150 kg. (330 lb.), is able to carry two missiles with launcher
equipment..............
