Iran has developed an advanced domestically made remotely piloted aircraft that takes off and lands vertically, reported Israel National News. The Iranians plan to unveil the new RPA in February, according to the Nov. 5 report, which cites Iranian news sources. The Iranians claim that the platform can hover in midair and fly in silence. Further, in a related vein, they asserted that the RPA they provided to Hezbollah that last month penetrated Israeli airspace is not the most sophisticated drone in Iran’s inventory, according to the report. The Israeli air force shot down the RPA, but not before Hezbollah said it obtained sensitive intelligence information on Israeli military installations.
The Space Development Agency says it’s on track to issue its next batch of missile warning and tracking satellite contracts this month after those awards were delayed by the Pentagon’s decision to divert funds from the agency to pay troops during this fall’s prolonged government shutdown.
