Mr. Yuval Miller, VP and Head of the Air and C⁴ISR Systems Sector

May. 6, 2013 By BARBARA OPALL-ROME – Defense news

Adapts Older 1,000-lb. SPICE for JSF

TEL AVIV — Israel’s state-owned Rafael is expanding its SPICE family of autonomous, jam-resistant, surgical standoff weapons with a new 250-pound missile against fixed and moving targets.

Now in advanced development, the newest version of the company’s Smart, Precision Impact, Cost-Effective (SPICE) weapon — known here as SPICE250 — features the same day-night electro-optical seeker and advanced scene-matching algorithms that allow 1,000-pound and 2,000-pound SPICE missiles to autonomously home in on preplanned targets some 100 kilometers away.

Like the much larger, combat-proven SPICE weapons, the downsized SPICE250 is designed for “one-shot, one-kill” without having to rely on satellite guidance or target coordinates, industry sources here said. The new SPICE250 features advanced data link communications, a multieffect warhead and inherent bomb damage assessment capabilities that optimize the standoff system for strikes against moving targets.

“We believe SPICE250 will be a compelling extension of the SPICE family. It’s a versatile system relevant for all target sets, with the ability to engage a single pixel and nothing else,” said Yuval Miller, Rafael’s director for air-to-surface systems.

Miller said the SPICE250 has the potential to answer operational needs now supported by a combination of munitions, including laser- and GPS-guided standoff penetration weapons.

“It could very well change the way air forces organize their inventory and build their force,” he said.

Miller said the firm already is under contract to supply SPICE250 to the Israel Air Force and is working to expand its portfolio of international customers.

The Rafael executive said the new weapon could be integrated on a variety of platforms, with initial plans focused on F-16Is.

In an interview following the November 2012 Pillar of Defense campaign in Gaza, an Israeli Air Force (IAF) brigadier general said the service aims to enhance its air-to-ground strike arsenal with systems offering greater precision and multimission flexibility.

The officer, head of the air branch on the IAF staff, said the service employed nearly 100 percent precision-guided munitions against 1,400 separate targets during the eight-day Pillar of Defense operation, with success rates “in significant excess of 90 percent.”

The IAF general did not mention SPICE or other specific weapons slated for multiyear funding, but credited local industry for its “intimate knowledge of our cur­rent and future operational requirements.”

The Rafael SPICE, particularly the 2,000-pound version, was proven in Israel’s 2006 war in Lebanon; the December 2008-January 2009 Cast Lead operation in Gaza; and most recently in the Pillar of Defense anti-rocket war in Gaza.

Israeli defense and industry sources said the SPICE250 would provide a locally made option to requirements now answered by the GBU-39 Small Diameter Bomb (SDB) by Chicago-based Boeing or the new SDB II by Waltham, Mass.-based Raytheon.

Israel has procured hundreds of the Boeing SDBs for launch against fixed targets from F-15Is.

The Raytheon SDB II is slated for low-rate production later this year and has not yet been offered to foreign customers. In addition to its planned use against moving targets by a broad range of manned fighters and bombers in the U.S. inventory, SDB II has been proposed for launch by the MQ-9 Reaper UAV.

SPICE1000 for JSF

In parallel, Rafael plans to integrate its 1,000-pound SPICE on Israel’s planned fleet of F-35I Joint Strike Fighters (JSF).

The US government has not yet authorized Israel to integrate its own weapons into the F-35’s internal bays, but a defense source in Washington said permission is likely to be codified in negotiations toward a follow-on contract for remaining aircraft.

“There are understandings that could be implemented in follow-on agreements,” a US defense source said. “We understand Israel’s desire to integrate unique weaponry and subsystems [into the F-35] and they understand our concerns, especially regarding the risks involved in making changes to such a highly integrated fifth generation fighter.”

He added that that prospective US permission would likely be limited to JSFs destined for Israel, and probably would preclude Israeli exports of internally carried JSF weaponry and subsystems.

“Our intention is to have the 1,000-pound version actually integrated into the bay,” Miller said. “It will take time, but there is a specific intention by our IAF customers to do this.”

With its 100-kilometer precision standoff capabilities and 1,000-pound warhead, Miller said SPICE1000 offers added value not yet planned for the F-35.

“The IAF is convinced of its added value and is working with the relevant Israeli and US authorities to make it happen,” he said.

According to the website of JSF prime contractor Lockheed Martin, internally carried strike systems now include: 500-, 1,000- and 2,000-pound Joint Direct Attack Munitions; GBU-12 Paveway IIs, the AGM-154 Joint Standoff Weapon (JSOW), SDBs; and SDB IIs.

3/2/2013 IsraelDefense

Israeli Rafael to present a variety of air defense systems it is developing at the AeroIndia 2013 exhibition

The Israeli defense company Rafael Advanced Defense Systems will present a wide range of capabilities and technologies at the AeroIndia 2013 exhibition, which will begin this week in India. In the framework of the expo, the company will present numerous air defense systems for the first time, including the Iron Dome system for countering short-range missiles and rockets.

Other items that will be presented at the exhibition are the Stunner missile, the David’s Sling interceptor system for protecting against medium-range missiles and rockets, the Spyder air defense system based on the Python-5 and Derby surface-to-air missiles and the MIC4AD, a command and control air and missile defense systems. In the field of precision armaments, Rafael will present the Spice system – an advanced precision system that provides advanced capabilities to ordinary bombs, and the Spike family of electro-optic multi-purpose missiles for ranges of up to 25 kilometers, which can be launched from a variety of platforms.

Rafael will also display the RecceLite pod, an electro-optic system for real-time observation and intelligence collection; the Lightening electro-optic attack and navigation pod for combat aircraft; the multi-sensory ImiLite system for reception, processing and distribution of intelligence information originating from many intelligence platforms, communication systems and more.

photo RP Defense - Euronaval 2012

TEL AVIV, Israel, Oct. 29 (UPI)

The U.S. military is reported to be testing a missile-armed, remote-controlled robotic boats developed by Israel's Rafael Advanced Defenses Systems, possibly to bolster its naval capabilities in the Persian Gulf where it's locked in a mainly maritime confrontation with Iran.

The mass-circulation Yedioth Ahronoth reports that the Americans see a possible use for the 30-foot unmanned Protector boats, which can carry one bow-mounted 7.62mm machine gun or anti-ship missiles, against Iranian suicide boats manned by Revolutionary Guards.

The small Iranian vessels are intended to "either block or attack any American aircraft carrier making its way through the Strait of Hormuz," the newspaper said.

Iran has threatened to close that narrow waterway, the only way in and out of the Persian Gulf, if it is attacked. One-third of the world's oil supplies pass through the 112-mile channel every day.

The Israeli navy is reported to be operating Protectors armed with multipurpose anti-armor Spike missiles, which are also built by Haifa's Rafael. Britain's BAE Systems and Lockheed Martin helped develop the unmanned boats.

Yedioth reports that last Wednesday the U.S. Navy test-fired six missiles from several unmanned surface vessels off the coast of Maryland. The daily gave no other details but observed that "all ... were reportedly accurate."

Wired magazine, which monitors new weapons systems, quoted Mark Moses, the U.S. Navy's drone boats program manager, as saying, "The tests are a significant step forward in weaponizing surface unmanned combat capability."

The Protectors "could be used for a number of applications, including harbor security, and in various defensive operations and scenarios, which are of primary concern for the Navy," Moses added.

Yedioth reported that any U.S. contract to buy Protector is "expected to amount to millions of dollars." But it noted that the Americans may arm any boats it buys with U.S.-built missiles, such as the Javelin or the Hellfire, rather than Israeli-made weapons.

These are both combat-proven systems modified for naval deployment. The FGM-148 fire-and-forget Javelin anti-tank weapon is built by Raytheon and Lockheed Martin. The AGM-114 Hellfire is produced by Lockheed Martin.

The Protector is already in service with the Israeli and Singaporean navies. It can reach speeds of 42 miles per hour. Its machine gun is capable of staying on target even in rough seas.

The boat carries radar and sonar systems and at least four cameras to identify targets, with electro-optical systems to provide 3-D imaging.

Noam Brock, who headed the Rafael team that developed the Protector, said the boat can operate at night and cope with heavy seas.

"Its systems are so advanced they can track the flight of a single bird," he said in 2006.

"The next step ... will be to equip the system with greater attack capabilities." That seems to have been achieved.

Rafael officials also see Protector having an anti-piracy mission, possibly against the Somalia pirate gangs marauding across the Indian Ocean, or the growing threat in the Atlantic off West Africa, a major oil-producing zone.

Other USVs are also on the market. One is the 21-foot Interceptor manufactured by Marine Robotic Vessels International of Florida. It can make speeds of 55 mph and has reportedly emphasized reconnaissance over firepower.

In late 2007, British defense firm Qineteq unveiled the jet-ski-sized Sentry, which was designed for intruder investigation.

It's likely that the Israeli navy will use Protector as part of the force it's building to guard its natural gas fields in the eastern Mediterranean. In the decades ahead, the offshore production platforms, due to start coming onstream in 2014, and other infrastructure will be a strategic target for Israel's adversaries.

Iran and its proxy, Hezbollah in Lebanon, are seen as particular threats, as is Syria and to a lesser extent Palestinian militants.

Hezbollah reportedly has hundreds of long-range missiles capable of hitting the offshore facilities south of Lebanon.

June 19, 2012: Strategy Page

Israel is now exporting its 75mm Mini-Spike lightweight guided missiles. Three years ago an Israeli firm introduced this lighter, smaller guided missile system for Israeli forces. This is the smallest member of the Spike guided missile family, which all share many common components and technologies.

The Mini-Spike was designed for company and platoon size units in need of a lightweight precision attack weapon. Mini-Spike weighs 12 kilograms (26.4 pounds) and is designed for operation by one man. Max range is 1,200 meters. The missile uses a "fire and forget" guidance system. That is, once the operator gets the target in the CLU crosshairs and fires the missile the computer and seeker in the missile warhead memorizes the target and homes in on it. The infantry love this because it allows them to take cover once the missile is fired. The operator can also order the missile fly straight, high or low towards the target. The CLU has night vision and video recording capability and can be used just for surveillance.

Mini-Spike consists of two components. There is an 8 kg (11.6 pound) CLU (Command and Launch Unit), for indicating the target and sending radio signals to the missile. Individual missiles come in firing containers weighing 4 kg (8.8 pounds) loaded. A soldier typically will carry the CLU and two missiles. There is also an optional tripod available. The missile warhead is designed to kill or injure people and destroy structures, not penetrate armor. The operator can deactivate the warhead after launch, to minimize collateral damage.

Mini-Spike is meant to provide a cheaper and smaller (and more portable) alternative to missiles like the U.S. Javelin. Introduced in 2002, Javelin weighs 22.3 kg (49 pounds, with disposable launch tube and battery/seeker coolant unit) and is fired from a 6.4 kg (14 pound) CLU (command launch unit). The CLU contains a 4x day sight and a 9x heat sensing night sight. The missile has a tandem (two warheads to blast through reactive armor) that can hit a target straight on or from the top. This latter capability enables the Javelin to destroy any existing tank (including the U.S. M1) with its 8.2 kg (18 pound) warhead. Maximum range is 2,500 meters. Best of all, the seeker on the missile is "fire and forget." Mini-Spike costs about half what Javelin systems go for and are easier for infantry to carry around. Infantry rarely need a missile as powerful as Javelin. More frequently the demand is for something smaller like Mini-Spike.

Mar. 8, 2012 by Arie Egozi - Flight Global

Rafael will add a laser homing sensor to its Spike NLOS helicopter-launched long-range missile, with the new capability to be demonstrated soon, the company says.

Recently integrated on an Israeli air force Bell AH-1 Cobra attack helicopter, the Spike NLOS currently features a dual electro-optical/infrared seeker. The weapon has a range of 13.5nm (25km) and can be fitted with at least three types of warhead, for use against tanks and armoured vehicles, bunkers and infantry.

Rafael also produces the short-range Spike ER (below), which can hit targets from a distance of 4.3nm. The weapon has been integated with the Eurofighter Tiger for Spain, AgustaWestland's AW129 for Italy and with the Eurocopter/IAR SA330 Puma used by Romania.

photo Israel Sun/Rex Features

TEL AVIV, Israel, Dec. 2 (UPI)

The U.S. Army will decide in the next few weeks whether it will buy Israel's Iron Dome anti-rocket defense system, developed by Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, to protect bases in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Rafael and the U.S. Raytheon Co., which produces the Patriot air-defense system, teamed in August to market Iron Dome, currently used to defend against Palestinian rockets, in the United States.

Iron Dome is designed to counter rockets and artillery shells with a range of 2-43 miles. It's the first system of its type to be used in combat.

Yossi Druker, head of Rafael's Air-to-Air Directorate, said Wednesday that the winner of the tender issued by the Pentagon is expected to be announced in January.

"Iron Dome is said to be compatible with the U.S. Army's Counter-Rocket and Artillery and Mortar system, or C-RAM, as part of layered defense for military bases," The Jerusalem Post observed.

Iron Dome made its combat debut in April in southern Israel against Palestinian rockets and the military says it has notched a success rate of 85 percent against Palestinian rockets it sought to intercept.

The system's computer can distinguish which rockets will hit populated areas and those that won't. It only fires on those that endanger Israeli lives.

The Israeli air force, which is responsible for air defense, has three Iron Dome batteries operational, primarily in the south to counter short-range rockets fired by militants from the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip.

But the military acknowledges that it needs 15-20 Iron Dome batteries to effectively provide protection from short-range missiles and rockets along the northern border with Lebanon and the southern frontier with Gaza.

So the Israelis may find themselves on the horns of a dilemma if the Americans decide they want Iron Dome: Who will get priority, homeland defense or developing a potentially lucrative export market for this unique system, the first operational short-range air-defense system in the world?

The Israelis say they face missile threats on several fronts, from Syria, Iran, Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas and its allies in Gaza.

These threats range from intermediate-range ballistic missiles from Iran and Syria, with shorter-range weapons from Hezbollah and the Palestinians.

The nightmare scenario is that if a new conflict erupts in the Middle East, every inch of the Jewish state will be exposed to a sustained and unprecedented bombardment by these foes.

Military planners say this could last for weeks, with up to 200 missiles and rockets a day hammering Israel, including the massive urban conurbation around Tel Aviv in the center of the country.

Every Iron Dome battery will be needed but Israel's defense industry, like those in the United States and Europe, is increasingly dependent on export sales to keep production lines rolling amid global cutbacks in defense spending.

Singapore has reportedly bought Iron Dome, although no details are available and the Israeli Defense Ministry hasn't confirmed the sale. India and South Korea have also shown interest.

The air force expects to take delivery of David's Sling, another anti-missile system developed by Rafael, within the next year, Brig. Gen. Doron Gavish, commander of the air force's Air Defense Division, said Thursday.

This system, also known as Magic Wand, is designed as the middle-tier of Israel's planned multilayer missile defense shield. It's designed to counter missiles and rockets with ranges of 25-185 miles.

Meantime, The Jerusalem Post reports that state-owned Israel Aerospace Industries is building a third battery of the Arrow-2 high-altitude, long-range missile interceptor to be deployed near Tel Aviv.

The Israeli air force has two Arrow batteries deployed in southern and northern Israel. The system is designed to counter Iran's Shehab-3b, Sejjil-2 and Soviet-designed Scud ballistic missiles. Syria also has Scuds.

Central Israel was chosen for the site of the new battery "because it provides the best protection for long-range threats which Israel faces from a number of directions," a military spokesman said.

IAI and Boeing in the United States are developing the Arrow-3, which will extend the range and altitude of the missile, which allows it to intercept ballistic missiles earlier in their trajectory and further from Israel.

The Arrow-3's first fly-out test is scheduled within the next few months. The United States contributed the bulk of the funds to develop the Arrow system.

24 mars 2011

Rivaux de longue date, notamment pour des contrats d’armements à l’étranger, I’industrie aéronautique israélienne (IAI) et Elbit Systems pourraient s’associer en vue de l’acquisition et du maintien d’un avion d’entrainement destiné aux futurs pilotes de chasse de l’armée israélienne. Ce dernier devrait être choisi dans les prochains mois afin de remplacer les vieux Skyhawks A-4, aujourd’hui inadaptés à l’évolution des technologies aériennes et rangés dans les hangars de Tsahal. Ces appareils, utilisés d’abord par l’US Navy au Viêt-Nam, connurent leur heure de gloire au moment de la guerre de Kippour en 1973. D’après le quotidien économique Globes, Elbit Systems, spécialisé dans les équipements électroniques à usage militaire, et IAI, fleuron de l’industrie de défense israélienne, pourraient très rapidement créer une joint venture. Dans les faits, la société serait financée par l’aviation de Tsahal qui louerait les appareils achetés par Elbit et IAI dans le cadre des programmes de formation de ses cadets. L’alliance Elbit-IAI a déjà été approuvée par Ronit Khan, directrice des autorités antitrust israéliennes. Elle intervient dans un contexte agité pour l’industrie militaire israélienne, alors que se murmure toujours une possible fusion entre IMI (Israel Military Industries), en proie à des difficultés économiques, et le puissant missilier Rafael. De son coté, Elbit Systems a annoncé en février avoir racheté 30% des actions d’Elisra, une société dont IAI est l’actionnaire majoritaire.