The Israeli Ministry of Defense has introduced Israel’s first advanced air surveillance balloon, equipped with the “Elevated Sensor” (ES) system, which enables air defense systems to receive early warning of advanced air threats such as missiles and drones. Also known as the High Availability Aerostat System (HAAS), the balloon will hover at high altitudes in the sky and scan the surrounding airspace for potential threats from all directions, the ministry stated.
“The ES system will be an important component in strengthening our capabilities to defend the country’s borders against a variety of threats and will enable us to create a more accurate, broader picture of air surveillance,” Israel Air Force Commander Major General Amikam Norkin said in a statement.