Heron
Role	Unmanned aerial vehicle
National origin	Israel
Manufacturer	Israel Aerospace Industries
Primary users	Israeli Defence Force Indian Air Force Indian Navy Brazilian Federal Police Turkish Air Force
Unit cost	$10M[1]
Variants	EADS Harfang IAI Eitan

IAI Heron on display at the Paris Air Show 2009

IAI Heron on display at the Paris Air Show 2009

Controlling the UAV for experimental purposes at the Fallon Naval Air Station

The IAI Heron (Machatz-1) is a Medium-altitude long-endurance unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) developed by the Malat (UAV) division of Israel Aerospace Industries. It is capable of Medium Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) operations of up to 52 hours' duration at up to 35,000 feet. It has demonstrated 52 hours of continuous flight, but the effective operational maximal flight duration is less, due to payload and flight profile. There is a new version, Heron TP, also known as IAI Eitan.

On 11 September 2005, it was announced that the Israel Defence Forces purchased US$50 million worth of Heron systems.^[2]

Design and development[link]

Heron navigates using an internal GPS receiver, and either a pre-programmed flight profile (in which case the system is fully autonomous from takeoff to landing), manual override from a ground control station, or a combination of both. It can autonomously return to base and land in case of lost communication with the ground station. The system has fully automatic launch and recovery (ALR) and all-weather capabilities.

Heron can carry an array of sensors, including infra-red and visible-light surveillance, intelligence systems (COMINT and ELINT) and various radar systems, totaling up to 250 kg (550 lb). Heron is also capable of target acquisition and artillery adjustment.

The payload sensors communicate with the ground control station in real-time, using either direct line of sight data link, or via an airborne/satellite relay. Like the navigation system, the payload can also be used in either a fully pre-programmed autonomous mode, or manual real-time remote operation, or a combination of both.

Operational history[link]

The Heron saw significant use during Operation Cast Lead in Gaza of 2008–2009. During the deployment, each brigade combat team was assigned a UAV squadron for close support. This was the first Israeli operation in which UAVs, helicopters, and fighter jets were allocated to ground forces directly without IAF central command authorizing sorties. Air-support controller teams operated alongside brigade commanders at the front emphasizing the brigade commander's utilization of direct air assets.^[3] A high degree of situational awareness was achieved by maintaining at least a dozen UAVs in flight over Gaza at all times. Aerial surveillance was provided by Heron and Hermes 450 UAVs and Apache attack helicopters. Along with coordination between the Air Force and ground troops, Israel ground forces were able to utilize cooperation with the Israel Security Agency by having operatives attached to the forward units. This inter-service coordination allowed for a higher level of tactical awareness and the ability to strike time-critical targets.^[4]

Other countries operating the Heron include Singapore, India and Turkey.^[5] France operates a derivative of Heron named Eagle or Harfang.^[6] In 2008, Canada announced a plan to lease a Heron for use in Afghanistan, starting in 2009.^[7] As of mid-2009, Australia is leasing two Herons as part of a multi-million dollar lease to operate the vehicles in Afghanistan.^[8]

Heron variants[link]

•  Turkey operates a special modified version of the Heron, which utilizes Turkish designed and manufactured electro-optical sub-systems. For Example, the Turkish Herons uses the ASELFLIR-300T Airborne Thermal Imaging and Targeting System designed and manufactured by ASELSAN of Turkey. The Turkish Herons have also stronger engines in order to compensate for the added payload created by the new ASELFLIR-300T. This is the same FLIR system what will be used by the AgustaWestland/TAI T-129 Attack helicopter^[9] and the TAI Anka MALE UAV. IAI staff maintain that the Turkish Heron's "with its enhanced performance, is better than all existing Heron UAVs operating worldwide”.^[10] Turkish Aerospace Industries provide maintenance and overhaul services for the Turkish Herons^[11].

•  France operates its own special version of the Heron, called Harfang.

Operators[link]

Operators of Heron UAV and its derivatives

 Azerbaijan

• Azerbaijani Air Forces - 5^[12]

 Australia

• Royal Australian Air Force – 3^[13]

 Brazil

• Brazilian Federal Police- 15 ^[14][15]

 Canada

• Royal Canadian Air Force – 3 ^[16]

 Ecuador

• Ecuadorian Navy – 2 ^[17]

 France

• French Air Force – EADS Harfang

 Germany

• Luftwaffe – 3 plus 2 ground stations on an initial one-year lease starting in 2010 ^[18][19]

 India

• Indian Air Force – 50^[20][21]
• Indian Navy^[22]

 Israel

• Israeli Defence Force – 1+^[23]

 Singapore^[24][25]

• Republic of Singapore Air Force – Unknown

 Turkey

• Turkish Air Force – 10

 United States

• United States Navy – 2 ^[26]

 Mexico

• Federal Police (Mexico) – 3^{[citation needed]}

[edit] Specifications^[27]

Data from {name of first source}

General characteristics

• Crew: None
• Length: 8.5 m (27 ft 10 in)
• Wingspan: 16.60 m (54 ft 5 in)
• Height: ()
• Max. takeoff weight: 1,150 kg (2,530 lb)
• Powerplant: 1 × Rotax 914, 86 kW (115 hp)

Performance

• Maximum speed: 207 km/h (113 knots, 130 mph)
• Range: 350 km (189 nm, 217 mi)
• Service ceiling: 10,000 m (32,800 ft)
• Rate of climb: 150 m/min (492 ft/min)
• Wing loading: 200 kg/m² (40.9 lb/ft²)
  
• Endurance: 52 hours^[28]
• Payload: 250 kg (550 lb)

See also[link]

Related development

• IAI Eitan
• EADS Harfang
  

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era

• EADS Harfang
• MQ-1 Predator
• DRDO Rustom
• TAI Anka
  

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: IAI Heron

• IAI Heron Official page
• IAI Heron Update
• MALE UAV Applications
• UAV Sensor applications
• EO Sensors for UAVs
• SAR sensors for UAVs
• Heron UAV News at DefenceTalk

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (June 2009)

Iaido
居合道
いあいどう

Focus	Weaponry (Katana)
Hardness	Forms competitions only.
Country of origin	Japan
Creator	Nakayama Hakudō (c.1873–1958) is generally credited with first use of the term "iaido".
Parenthood	Iaijutsu
Olympic sport	No

Iaido (居合道, Iaidō^?) is a modern Japanese martial art associated with the smooth, controlled movements of drawing the sword from its scabbard, striking or cutting an opponent, removing blood from the blade, and then replacing the sword in the scabbard.^{[citation needed]} While new students of iaido^[1] may start learning with a wooden sword (bokken) depending on the teaching style of a particular instructor, many of those who study iaido use a blunt edged sword (iaitō). Few, more experienced, iaido practitioners use a sharp edged sword (shinken).

Practitioners of iaido are often referred to as iaidoka.

Because iaido is practiced with a weapon, it is almost entirely practiced using forms, or kata. Multiple person kata exist within some schools of iaido, when iaidoka will usually use bokken for such kata practice. Iaido does include competition in form of kata but does not use sparring of any kind. Because of this non-fighting aspect, and iaido's emphasis on precise, controlled, fluid motion, it is sometimes referred to as "moving Zen."^{[citation needed]}

Iaido forms (kata) are performed solitarily against one or more imaginary opponents. Some iaido schools, however, include kata performed in pairs. Most of the styles and schools do not practice tameshigiri, cutting techniques.

A very important part of iaido, is nukitsuke or the life of iaido. This is a very quick draw of the sword, accomplished by simultaneously drawing the sword from the saya and also moving the saya back in saya-biki.^{[citation needed]}

Name[link]

Iaido practiced wearing a hakama

Partner practice in iaido is very dangerous

Respect shown to the sword (tōrei) before and after practice.

The word iaido approximately translates into English as "the way of mental presence and immediate reaction." It was coined in the 1930s, replacing the earlier and more literal name battōjutsu (抜刀術 "art of drawing the sword").

Battōjutsu is the historical (ca. 15th century) term encompassing both the practice of drawing the sword and cutting (tameshigiri).^{[citation needed]} The term iaijutsu (居合術) was known before the Tokugawa period (before 1603) , and the term iaido was known from 1932. Iaido is due to the general trend (stemming from gendai budō) to replace the suffix -jutsu with -dō in Japanese martial arts in order to emphasize a philosophical or spiritual component.^{[citation needed]}

Iaido is the usual term to refer to the modern self-improvement oriented-form taught e.g. by the All Japan Kendo Federation (AJKF), while Iaijutsu is used for some amongst the older koryū combative techniques. The primary emphasis in iaido is on the psychological state of being present (居). The secondary emphasis is on drawing the sword and responding to the sudden attack as quickly as possible (合).

History[link]

In the book Bugei Ryuha Daijiten by Watatani Kiyoshi and Yamada Tadashi, Hayashizaki Jinsuke (Minamoto no) Shigenobu is credited with establishing the influence and popularity of the art early in the 16th century, that is today widely practised as iaido.^[2] However, around a century before his birth, the dynamic art of iaijutsu had been developed by Iizasa Ienao, the founder of the Tenshin Shōden Katori Shintō-ryū.^{[citation needed]}

The Tenshin Shōden Katori Shintō-ryū (天真正伝香取神道流) included iaijutsu in its curriculum in the 15th century. The first schools dedicated exclusively to sword drawing appeared some time during the late 16th or early 17th century. Hayashizaki Jinsuke Minamoto no Shigenobu (林崎甚助源の重信) (1546–1621) is generally credited with being the originator of the first dedicated school of sword drawing. Little is known of his life, leading some scholars to doubt his historical existence as a real person. The two largest schools of sword drawing that are practised today are the Musō Shinden-ryū (夢想神伝流) and Musō Jikiden Eishin-ryū (無雙直傳英信流). Both schools trace their lineage to Hayashizaki Jinsuke Shigenobu through Hasegawa Chikaranosuke Hidenobu.

Seitei Iaido[link]

Seitei Iaido (制定) ("basis of the Iaido") or Zen Nippon Kendo Renmei Iaido is the standard set of iaido kata created in 1968 by a committee formed by the All Japan Kendo Federation (AJKF, Zen Nippon Kendo Renmei or ZNKR).^[3] The twelve Seitei iaido forms (seitei-gata) are standardised for the tuition, promotion and propagation of iaido within the kendo federations. Although not all dojo teach seitei iaido, the AJKF uses them as a standard for their iaido exams and shiai. As a result, seitei iaido has become the most widely recognised form of iaido in Japan and the rest of the world. Being an extremely standardized form, Seitei Iaido is practiced not only in Japan, but all over the world in very similar way.

Tōhō Iaido[link]

The All Japan Iaido Federation (ZNIR, Zen Nihon Iaido Renmei, founded 1948) has a set of five iaido forms, Tōhō Iaido. This is essentially the ZNIR equivalent of the Seitei Iaido set. These five forms are from the five different major iaido schools.

• Maegiri Musō Jikiden Eishin-ryū
• Zengogiri Mugai-ryū
• Kiriage Shindō Munen-ryū
• Shihôgiri Suiō-ryū
• Kissakigaeshi Hōki-ryū

Classical period Iaido[link]

List of koryū iaido-schools

Musō Jikiden Eishin-ryū and Musō Shinden-ryū[link]

Iaido in the Czech Republic

Although there are a wide range of koryū styles practiced in Japan, the two most popular koryū styles practiced worldwide are Musō Jikiden Eishin-ryū and Musō Shinden-ryū.^{[citation needed]} They resemble each other quite strongly because they branched off from one style sometime in the 18th century, first forming the branches of Shimomura-ha and Tanimura-ha.

These two branches would co-exist for many years until Ōe Masamichi Shikei, the 17th headmaster, brought together the Tanimura-ha, Hasegawa Eishin-ryū and the Ōmori-ryū to form what is today's Musō Jikiden Eishin-ryū.

The last Shimomura-ha (claimed) headmaster, Nakayama Hakudō who is considered the 16th, created a sword drawing art called Musō Shinden Battōjutsu that was heavily influenced by his Shimomura-ha training, but also took elements from other iaido-arts and would later become the Musō Shinden-ryū.

Although the schools' techniques resemble each other, there are several differences. Outwardly the most obvious differences might be seen for example in the nōtō (sheathing the katana back into the saya). In Shinden, the start of the nōtō is done on the horizontal plane, then rotated to the vertical plane by the end of the nōtō. In Musō Jikiden Eishin-ryū, the nōtō starts in an almost vertical plane and continues in that plane throughout the nōtō.

There are several branches of Eishin-ryū and Shinden-ryū that are practised today. Different lines and Iaido organisations often recognise different people as their sōke.

Mugai ryu[link]

Niina Gyokudo, a soke of Mugai ryu, demonstrates the Inchuyo technique.

Mugai ryu was once one of the more famous styles in Japan in the Edo period and was developed from a strong influence of Zen.^{[citation needed]} It is characterized by short, direct movements. As it was developed in 1697 by Tsuji Gettan Sukemochi [or Sukeshige], a Zen practitioner, it has deep links with Zen Buddhism. The original style created by Gettan was a kenjutsu school rather than iaido. Today's Mugai ryu iaido was established by Takahashi Hachisuke Mitsusuke and his younger brother Hidezu in mid Edo period. They studied a style called Jikyo-ryū under the fifth and last generation headmasters Yamamura Masashige. There are several distinct lineages of Mugai ryu throughout Japan today.

Suiō-ryū[link]

Suiō-ryū is a traditional style that specialises in sword drawing, both solo and paired, but other arts, like jōjutsu, naginatajutsu, kenpō and kusarigamajutsu are practised as well. It was founded by Mima Yoichizaemon Kagenobu c. 1615.

Other styles[link]

Other styles that incorporate sword drawing in their curriculum are, for example, Motobu Udundi from Okinawa, Shindō Munen-ryū, Shinkage-ryū, Hōki-ryū, Tatsumi-ryū, Tamiya-ryū, Tenshin Shōden Katori Shintō-ryū, Takenouchi-ryū, Eishin-ryū and more.

Iaido/battō in the 20th century[link]

A style of sword drawing art is Toyama-ryū battōjutsu. This is a style originating in the late 19th century, and taught primarily to officers in the Second World War.^{[citation needed]} It is different from the Edo period styles primarily in that all techniques are performed from a standing position.^{[citation needed]} Toyama-ryū was in turn the basis of Nakamura-ryū,^{[citation needed]} created by Nakamura Taizaburo (1912–2003); incorporating nōtō and kamae from older Koryū, notably Ōmori-ryū.

See also[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Iaido

• Aikibudo
• Aikido
• Battōjutsu
• Gosho Motoharu
• Iaijutsu
• Japanese martial arts
• Kendo
• Kenjutsu
• Shinkendo

References[link]

Further reading[link]

• "Art of Japanese Swordsmanship: A Manual of Eishin-Ryu Iaido". Publisher: Weatherhill; 1 edition (Jun 1 1994).
• "Zen Nippon Kendo Renmei Iai", English Version Manual, 3rd edition, published December 2009, by All Japan Kendo Federation, Tokyo, Japan.
• "Japanese Swordsmanship: Technique and practice". By Gordon Warner & Donn F. Draeger. Publisher: Weatherhill; 1982.
• “Flashing Steel, 2nd Edition: Mastering Eishin-Ryū-Swordsmanship”. By Masayuki Shimabukurō & Leonard J. Pellman. Publisher: Blue Snake Books; 2008
• Craig, Darrell Max (1991). Iai: The Art Of Drawing The Sword. Charles E. Tuttle Company. ISBN 0-8048-7023-3 
• De Lange, William, Iaido: History, Teaching & Practice Of Japanese Swordsmanship, Weatherhill, 2002. ISBN 0-8348-0500-6

External links[link]

• All Japan Kendo Federation (AJKF/ZNKR).
• International Kendo Federation (FIK).
• Japan Iaido Federation (Nippon Iaido Renmei/NIR).
• Art of IAIDO (AOI).

v t e Martial arts by regional origin The Martial Arts Portal     China (styles · list · wrestling) "External": Shaolin Kung Fu Northern: Changquan · Fanziquan · Northern Praying Mantis Southern: Bājíquán · Hung Ga · Southern Praying Mantis · Wing Chun Wudangquan / "Internal": Baguazhang · Liuhebafa · T'ai chi ch'uan · Xingyiquan Japan and Ryūkyū (Okinawa) traditional: swordsmanship (kenjutsu) (Battōjutsu)  · stick fighting (bojutsu) (Jōdō)  · archery (kyujutsu)  · spear (sojutsu)  · unarmed (jujutsu)  · Sumo · Kobudō · Ninjutsu modern: Aikido · Iaido · Judo · Jūkendō  · Karate · Kendo · Nippon Kempo Korea: Hapkido · Subak · Taekkyeon · Taekwondo · Kuk Sul Do · Tang Soo Do  · Ssireum Burma : Lethwei Laos  : Muay Lao Malaysia: Tomoi · Silat Melayu Thailand: Muay Boran  · Krabi krabong  · Silat Pattani Indonesia: Pencak Silat Philippines: Eskrima · Kuntao · Panantukan · Sikaran Vietnam: Vovinam Indian subcontinent North India: Gatka (Sikh) · Inbuan (Mizoram) · Lathi (stick fighting) · Malla-yuddha  · Musti yuddha  · Mukna (Manipur) · Pehlwani (Persian wrestling)  · Thang-Ta (Manipur) South India: Kalarippayattu  · Kuttu varisai  · Marma Ati  · Silambam Middle East and Central Asia Greater Iran Varzesh-e Pahlavani, Pehlwani folk wrestling: Armenian, Azeri, Mongolian, Turkish, Uzbek Western Historical fencing: German · French school of fencing · Italian · Spanish stick fighting: Bataireacht · Bâton français · Juego del Palo · Jogo do Pau · quarterstaff  · singlestick striking: Pankration · Greek boxing, Russian fist fighting folk wrestling: Breton · English: Cumbrian, Devon, Lancashire · Greek · Icelandic · Scottish · Serbian · Swiss Other Americas: Okichitaw Africa: Dambe, Istunka, Canarian wrestling, Senegalese wrestling Oceania: Mau rākau Modern or hybrid Olympics: Fencing · Boxing · Judo · Taekwondo · Wrestling  Australia: Zen Do Kai  Brazil: Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu · Capoeira · Luta livre esportiva  Canada: Defendo  · Okichitaw  PRC: Wushu · Sanshou  France: Canne de combat · Kinomichi · Savate  Germany: Universal Fight  Iran: Kung Fu To'a  Israel: Kapap · Krav Maga  Indonesia: Tarung Derajat  Japan: Judo · Japanese kickboxing  · Karate (styles)  · Puroresu · Shoot Boxing · Shooto · Shootfighting · Shoot wrestling  South Korea: Haidong Gumdo · Kuk Sool Won  · Taekwondo  Norway: Stav  Philippines: Modern Arnis · Yawyan Russia: Sambo · Systema · Retuinskih's System ROSS · Spetsnaz GRU hand-to-hand combat style · Kadochnikov's Systema · Ryabko's Systema Serbia: Real Aikido  Thailand: Muay Thai · Krabi krabong  United Kingdom: Bartitsu · Catch wrestling · Defendu  USA: Chun Kuk Do · Jeet Kune Do · Kajukenbo · American kickboxing  · Marine Corps Martial Arts Program · Modern Army Combatives · Toso Kune Do · Collegiate Wrestling