Middle Eastern spy planes disguised as freighters

MIDDLE Eastern military jets are being disguised as commercial freighters and passenger aircraft. They are then flown on fake services to covertly spy on countries they fly over.

The disguised aircraft are a cost-effective alternative for countries without spy satellites, compared with countries such as the US. China is also believed to take part in the practice.

James Hvizd, vice-president of space and airborne systems at Raytheon, revealed military assets are made “to look like a white airplane or painted commercial airplane but the sensors are ensconced inside the airframe”.

Theodore Karasik, director of research at Dubai’s Institute for Near East and Gulf Military Analysis, confirmed the technique.

“There seems to be an interconnectivity between the civil and military sectors when it comes to navigating the skies,” he said.