Flying Robot Would Serve Spy, Anti-Personnel Role

Israeli scientists are developing a flying robotic anti-personnel weapon capable of chasing, photographing and even killing its targets.

According to a Reuters report, Israel is using nanotechnology to build a flying robot nicknamed the "bionic hornet." It would be small enough to navigate through narrow openings to otherwise unreachable targets.

Israeli deputy prime minister Shimon Peres told Reuters, "The war in Lebanon proved that we need smaller weaponry. It's illogical to send a plane worth $100 million against a suicidal terrorist. So we are building futuristic weapons."

Planners say such a small weapon would have proven extremely useful in an urban warfare setting.

Enemies hiding amid buildings and houses must be attacked by foot soldiers -- usually at the cost of high casualties -- or bombed with artillery or aircraft. Israel faced a severe backlash in the world press for civilian casualties resulting from its air attacks on Lebanon during the most recent flare-up of hostilities.

The bionic hornet is one of several weapons scientists are researching in Israel. Another is a set of so-called super gloves that would give their wearers extraordinary strength -- the strength of a "bionic man" according to reports.

All of Israel's nanotech weaponry is intended specifically to combat militants according to Peres. The army faces many unsolved problems in dealing with militant attacks and it hopes to find answers in this research.

Peres says Israel expects prototypes for the new weapons within three years.

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