Tel Aviv, June 3 (RHC)-- Israeli and U.S. weapons manufacturers have teamed up to adapt an Israeli-made "suicide drone" to U.S. military requirements.  According to reports, UVision's Hero-30 loitering munition is undergoing some changes at the hands of Raytheon, one of the Pentagon's main contractors, to make it ready for future use by American infantry forces.

The U.S. military giant said in a statement that "the adapted system will meet the U.S. Army's requirement for Lethal Miniature Aerial Missile Systems (LMAMS)."  LMAMS is part of a U.S. military plan to make weapons similar to Hero-30, a small drone that is accessible to all infantry units.

With a total weight of around 3 kilograms, the drone is designed for individual use and each soldier can carry up to three Hero-30s with a half kilogram warhead, the Israeli makers claim.  The weapon is launched from a canister and can reportedly fly for up to 30 minutes before attacking its target.

The weapon's possible adoption by the US military marks a new milestone in America's drone program which began after Washington purchased more Israeli Pioneer and Hunter drones in the 80s and 90s and used them as the basis for American-made platforms.