Israel has deployed a massive radar blimp along its border with Lebanon, as tensions with the militant group Hezbollah escalate. This blimp, known as "
Sky Dew
," is one of the largest high-altitude observation balloons and is a collaborative project between the US and Israel.
Developed by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) and American balloon manufacturer TCOM, this project is a collaboration led by the Israeli defense ministry and funded by the US department of defense.
According to a Jerusalem Post report, Sky Dew, delivered to the
Israeli Air Force
(IAF) in 2022, is designed to detect unmanned aircraft and cruise missiles from Iran and Syria, which are typically small and challenging to detect. This system builds upon over 30 years of experience in using simpler and smaller balloons in the south, developed after the peace agreement with Egypt to monitor for surprises from the east. These earlier versions were developed by IAI and Elta Systems, with India also reportedly purchasing such balloons.
Manufactured by the
US company TCOM
, the reconnaissance balloon can carry 7,000 pounds and operates at an altitude of about 10,000ft.
Israel has not been able to purchase the expensive AWACS radar-carrying aircraft from the US. Instead, it has relied on smaller and cheaper Hawkeye aircraft and the Nachshon aircraft, developed by IAI based on the American Gulfstream business jet. The radar on these aircraft is more advanced than the AWACS, offering better detection capabilities and resistance to jamming.
The Sky Dew balloon, while not able to rise to extreme heights or accompany fighter jets to targets like Iran, offers a significant advantage in its ability to remain in surveillance for extended periods without needing fuel or crew replacement. The radar on the balloon is believed to be based on the Arrow system radar, capable of observing at 250 km and tracking multiple targets, including low-altitude ones and those in valleys.
The main advantage of a radar balloon over a radar aircraft lies in the operating costs. An hour of AWACS flight costs about $40,000, compared to a few thousand for the Nachshon, and even less for a balloon. However, the balloon's size makes it visible to enemies and it is sensitive to basic faults like air leaks.
The operationalization of the Sky Dew system took over a year, highlighting some of the readiness issues faced by the IDF. Despite these challenges, the operational Sky Dew system could provide a significant boost to Israel's surveillance capabilities, offering an additional target for Hassan Nasrallah.
English (US) ·