Israeli drone on security detail during World Cup in Brazil

Special to WorldTribune.com

TEL AVIV — Israel has been assigned to help secure the World Cup
games in Brazil.

Israel’s leading defense contractor has supplied an unmanned aerial
vehicle to monitor the FIFA World Cup games in Rio de Janeiro.

Heron-1 drone
Heron-1 drone

Under the deal, the state-owned Israel Aerospace Industries would help operate its
Heron-1 UAV to secure Rio and the surrounding area.

“The Heron system is being operationally deployed in the Rio de Janeiro
area by the Brazilian Federal Police in close cooperation with the Brazilian
Navy,” IAI said. “This, as part of a comprehensive array of security
measures during the World Cup games.”

In a statement on June 25, IAI said Heron was monitoring activity in Rio
as well as the coast. The Brazilian police have been operating Heron since
2010 for border security as well as counter-smuggling missions.

“The Federal Police have accumulated a substantial amount of operational
experience with the Heron UAS which allows it to operate the system in a
variety of complex scenarios,” IAI said.

Brazil has confirmed Heron operations during the current World Cup
games. Officials said Heron, dubbed Vant, was providing information to the
police’s Intelligence Directorate in an effort to prevent any insurgency
attack.

“Vant’s main missions are to gather and provide data and information, to
support the use of operational means against criminal and terrorist
organizations that may disturb the community peace throughout the World
Cup,” police intelligence director Jose de Freitas Iegas said.

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