Russia has acquired new unmanned air vehicles from Israel, according to a report by the Russian newspaper Vedomosti, which is being reproduced by The Jerusalem Post newspaper.

According to the report, the Russian Ministry of Defence has acquired 10 Israel Aerospace Industries Searcher UAVs. These will be assembled to the Ural Work Aviation factory in Russia.

The new UAVs will complement the existing fleet of 12, Israeli-made, Bird Eye 400, I-View Mk 150 and Searcher II, that were procured in 2011. The cost of that contract was at USD400 million and is estimated that it included a technology transfer, according to Media reports of that period.

These tactical drones are used for surveillance, reconnaissance, target acquisition and artillery fire adjustment. It is expected that some of them will be used at the borders with Ukraine, as according to past reports, one of them had been shot down by the Ukrainian Army.

The IAI Searcher II has a length of 5.85 m, a wingspan of 8.54 m. and a height of 1.25 m. The maximum speed is 200 km/h, the service ceiling is at 20,000 ft and the endurance is up to 18 hours. With a gross weight of 500 kg. it can carry a payload of 68 kg.