The Israeli Air Force has received control of the new remotely piloted aircraft (RPA) system, "The Spark," which will serve the IDF. "The Spark," as it is called by the Air Force, will be used in future missions that the force will face.
The aircraft was received in a ceremony hosted last night (Sunday) at the Israeli Air Force's Hatzrim Airbase. The aircraft was incorporated into Squadron 144, known as the "Phoenix Squadron." Squadron 144 is the first squadron to operate the new and advanced RPA (Remotely Piloted Aircraft) from Rafael and Aeronautics, called the "Nitsotz" (Spark).
The ceremony was conducted under the leadership of the Commander of the Israeli Air Force, Major General Tomer Bar, in the presence of the Head of the Unmanned Aircraft Directorate at the Ministry of Defense, a senior Vice President and the Head of the Air and Intelligence Division at Rafael, Yuval Miller, and the CEO of Aeronautics, Dan Slasky.
According to the IDF, the drone will significantly improve the ability of the combat forces to operate aggressively and effectively based on the information they receive. This represents a new capability of the drone system, serving as the gateway to the 5th generation of the IDF's drone system.
The weapon was developed as part of the "Stormy Clouds" project, aimed at developing future remotely piloted aircraft for the Israeli Air Force. The project was led by the Directorate of Research and Development of Weapons and Technological Infrastructure, in collaboration with Rafael and Aeronautics.
According to the commander of the Air Force, "The Spark" is a multi-mission tool that will integrate into the IDF's multi-dimensional and multi-theater combat plans and will be a significant component in both ground and aerial combat.
The commander of the Air Force described in his speech: "This is an exciting day where we are taking another step forward. On this day, the squadron has more aircraft and skilled personnel alongside them. On this day, the 'Storm Clouds' project turns from a vision into an amazing reality. The squadron has come a long way since its establishment a year ago, until the reception of the aircraft today. I want to express my appreciation to all of you for this."
The head of the Directorate of UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles) in the Ministry of Defense explained, "Today we have added another layer to Israel's security wall - the 'Storm Clouds' system. It is a multi-domain, groundbreaking technological platform within the IDF's UAV units. It incorporates, in collaboration with all IDF branches, cutting-edge robotics and aerial autonomy capabilities, positioned at the forefront of technology."
