Israeli Balloon Helped Protect Pope Francis In South America
Pope Francis’ security detail used an Israeli-made observation balloon to protect the pontiff during his visit to South America.
The balloon proved to be more reliable than the unmanned air vehicles typically used and cost only a fraction of the price to operate, Ynet reported Monday. Two of the three Masses led by the pope in Colombia two weeks ago were accompanied by the device, which is made by the Israeli company RT Aerostats Systems.
“We have recently added a few upgrades to the balloon that secured the pope,” an RT official told the Israeli news website. “In addition to advanced day and night cameras, the balloon can automatically identify suspicious movements, better zoom in on targets we want to follow, and maintain an overview of the entire area even while focusing on a specific target.”
The balloon, which is regularly used by the Israeli military and police, also helped secure the pope’s past trips to Africa and Israel. Police in Bogota and Medellin leased the device and transmitted its video footage directly to their headquarters. It helped scan the large crowds, the rooftops in the area and other spots that cannot be seen from the ground.
I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning journalism this Passover.
In this age of misinformation, our work is needed like never before. We report on the news that matters most to American Jews, driven by truth, not ideology.
At a time when newsrooms are closing or cutting back, the Forward has removed its paywall. That means for the first time in our 126-year history, Forward journalism is free to everyone, everywhere. With an ongoing war, rising antisemitism, and a flood of disinformation that may affect the upcoming election, we believe that free and open access to Jewish journalism is imperative.
Readers like you make it all possible. Right now, we’re in the middle of our Passover Pledge Drive and we still need 300 people to step up and make a gift to sustain our trustworthy, independent journalism.
Make a gift of any size and become a Forward member today. You’ll support our mission to tell the American Jewish story fully and fairly.
— Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO
Join our mission to tell the Jewish story fully and fairly.
Only 300 more gifts needed by April 30
