Israeli made loitering munitions on high demand

Israeli made loitering munitions on high demand

כטב"ם Harop בתצוגת האוויר בפריז. תמונה: Defense Update

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כטבThe Indian air force is a current user of Israeli made loitering weapon systems. This air force is evaluating the purchase of additional Israel aerospace industries (IAI) HAROP Loitering munitions (LM) system.

The Indian armed forces have been using the previous version of the system, the Harpy, for some years.

HAROP is a long endurance LM which can be launched from a variety of platforms, and is equipped with tactical UAV capabilities: high performance FLIR/ color CCD EO seeker with 3600 deg. hemispherical coverage.

It searches, detects, attacks and hits high value re-locatable, time critical, land or sea-based, moving targets with pinpoint accuracy at long ranges.

A HAROP unit is comprised of LM launchers and a Mission Control Shelter (MCS) that enables missile control with a Man in the Loop operation, engagement or abort attack capability in real time, avoiding collateral damage.

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The HAROP can be applied to a variety of battle scenarios, including low and high intensity conflicts, urban warfare and counter terror operations.

HAROP LMs are launched from transportable launchers and navigate towards the target area, where they loiter and search for targets.

Once a target, static or moving, is detected, it is attacked and destroyed by the HAROP LM.

The attack can be performed from any direction and at any attack angle, from flat to vertical which is highly essential in urban areas. The operator monitors the attack until the target is hit. Another HAROP LM can observe and send real time video of Battle Damage Assessment (BDA) to the operator. The operator can command to abort the attack in order to avoid collateral damage, returning the LM to loitering mode, and restart the attack later.