IAI Eitan

The IAI Eitan, whose Hebrew name means steadfast and whose export designation is Heron TP, is an unmanned reconnaissance aircraft developed in Israel in the early 21st century by the Malat division of Israel Aerospace Industries. It is a newer version of the IAI Heron, a medium-altitude long-endurance aircraft that can operate above commercial air traffic and has all-weather capability, de-icing systems, automatic takeoff and landing and triple-redundant avionics. It is a high-wing monoplane with twin tail booms joined by a common horizontal stabiliser and a single turboprop engine in the rear fuselage driving a pusher propeller. Besides intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition and reconnaissance, it may be used for aerial refuelling and armed roles. Reports of its first flight conflict, and it was publicly unveiled at Tel Nof Airbase on 8 October 2007.