UN weighs use of drones for peace-keeping ops
Thursday, November 20, 2008 Free Headline Alerts
WASHINGTON — The United Nations is considering the acquisition of unmanned aerial vehicles.
A UN acquisitions mission has been briefed on a range tactical UAVs. The UN Acquisitions Department plans to arrive in Israel in late November to discuss miniature UAVs for peace-keeping missions.
"Israel is a leader in the field of advanced technology, and we have the means to use this technology to benefit both the UN and other world nations," Israel's envoy to the UN, Gabriela Shalev, said.
Industry sources said an Israeli delegation began marketing the UAVs to the UN in June 2008. The sources said the Israeli delegation pointed to the benefits of UAVs in spotting insurgents and rebel groups in such places as Sudan's Darfour province and Lebanon.
The Israeli delegation also briefed the UN on intelligence-gathering systems to protect fixed sites. The sources said the UN was shown how such systems could have protected its headquarters in Algiers, bombed in December 2007 by Al Qaida.
The sources said the UN has not commited to any procurement from Israel. They said they expect the UN to reach a decision sometime in 2009.
"Business opportunities aside, I see national significance in presenting the world with Israel's impressive capabilities in the fields of science and technology," Ms. Shalev said.