Israel Shuts Down Sky Dew Project After Hezbollah Attack – Balloon Proved Vulnerable to Drones

The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) suspended the operation of the Sky Dew balloon deployed in the Lower Galilee due to concerns about its effectiveness and safety.

The surveillance system, which was supposed to detect drones and cruise missiles, failed to meet expectations after being hit by Hezbollah in 2024, according to the Open Source Intel monitoring resource.

Sky Dew was positioned as a high-tech solution to protect Israel’s northern borders. Its launch was accompanied by significant investment and ambition, but after the attack, the project lost credibility.

The IDF decided to transfer the personnel who operated the balloon to other units, and the future of Sky Dew is currently under review.

As a reminder, the Israeli Air Force launched the balloon in 2021.

It was supposed to detect threats flying at low altitude. For example, cruise missiles or drones.

It was developed by the Elta division of Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) together with the Air Force and the country’s Missile Defense Agency, and manufactured by the American company TCOM.

In addition, the balloon could share data with other Israeli air defense systems, such as the Iron Dome or the Sling of David.

The idea of using balloons in a surveillance system was previously explored by the US military.

Their project was called JLENS. However, in 2015, one of the balloons fell off the tether and left hundreds of homes without electricity. The Pentagon then resumed JLENS tests, but the program was still shut down in 2017.

In May 2024, the Israeli Defense Forces confirmed that Hezbollah had managed to hit an important military facility in the Lower Galilee with a kamikaze drone.

Hezbollah claimed to have launched explosive-laden drones at the Israeli Air Force base from which Sky Dew is operated. The base is located near the Golani crossroads, about 35 kilometers from the Lebanese border.