Israel Hunts Hamas with Hi-Tech Helicopter Tactics

(Reuters/MSNBC) Dan Williams - Hamas militants are invariably hit while in their vehicles, along with drivers and bodyguards. To ease tracking, collaborators sometimes dab the militant's vehicle with a dye invisible to the eye but easily picked up by the sensors of Israeli helicopters. Because U.S.-made Hellfire missiles killed so many bystanders, in June Israel switched to a classified Israeli-made missile with a camera in its nose which makes for real-time aiming. "The guy controlling the missile sees exactly where the missile is going and guides it right to the window of the target car if necessary," said Robert Hewson, editor of Jane's Air-Launched Weapons. "We can abort up to a couple seconds before impact. On occasion the terrorist's face shows up on camera for final confirmation," said an Israeli security source.


2003-09-02 00:00:00

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