Back to news

February 3, 2021 | International, Land

Israeli firm sells Harop, Rotem kamikaze drones to several Asian countries

By:

JERUSALEM — Israel Aerospace Industries on Monday announced more than $100 million in contracts for loitering munitions in three deals that include the Rotem VTOL and the Harop drones. The latter was sold in its land and naval versions.

In keeping with the usual policy in Israel, the company did not reveal its customers, only saying that a foreign country acquired Rotem, while the naval and ground versions of Harop were sold in Asia.

IAI said the contracts are proof of the importance that modern armies place in having accurate munitions, noting the deals may serve as a “harbinger of additional business activity.”

Loitering munitions are sometimes referred to as kamikaze drones because they can be used as a weapon by crashing into a target. These weapons can also hunt down enemy air defenses, among other critical targets.

The Harop maritime variant provides an operational solution for a range of vessels, IAI said. “In a complex naval theater, the Harop system gives mission commanders in a fleet of ships the capability to independently and organically collect intelligence, assess targets and strike,” the firm has said. It can also be used as an alternative to or complement sea-to-sea missiles, and is useful in both low- and high-intensity conflict as well as counterterror operations, according to the company. It is also equipped with day and night cameras.

The Harop is sometimes seen in sets of nine on land vehicles but can be configured to a different format for use at sea. The electro-optical assets of the Harop aid the man-in-the-loop operator and also provide for deep strike air superiority capabilities, IAI said.

The Rotem is a vertical-takeoff-and-landing drone used by several countries. “The system provides a reconnaissance, observation and attack envelope with maximum autonomous performance, integrating a simple and intuitive operation interface that can be used by a single fighter from a touchscreen tablet,” IAI said.

According to Yoel Guzansky, a senior fellow at the Institute for National Security Studies at Tel Aviv University, the recent Abraham Accords that saw relations improve between Israel and its neighbors, including the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, has opened a niche in which Israel is more “kosher” to do deals with. That opens doors in the Gulf region and to Muslim countries globally, where Israeli sales would otherwise be viewed skeptically or be very sensitive.

Other events boosting sales, he noted, include tension with Iran and the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, during which Azerbaijan used loitering munitions against Armenian forces.

Israel often doesn't identify the countries to which it sells defense systems because it doesn't want to appear to be part of conflicts, Guzansky explained. But “usually in reports when they don't disclose, it can be an Arab or Muslim country or Singapore, so usual suspects could be Taiwan, Singapore, Philippines, etc.,” he added.

“Israel must be sensitive, to think hard at what kind of weapon systems and to whom [it is selling],” Guzansky said, as the government doesn't want to become entangled in a conflict between rival countries or have its arms end up in the hands of those for which they were not intended.

Tal Inbar, an expert on defense and missile systems and a former chief of the Space Research Center at the Fisher Institute, also pointed to the recent Armenian-Azeri conflict as showcasing the use of loitering munitions. Amid the Abraham Accords, “I believe we will see [a] dramatic increase in [sales of] Israeli products.”

Three and a half decades of experience in producing UAVs has led IAI to this point. Its family of systems also include the Harpy, Mini Harpy and Green Dragon. The Harpy was developed with an anti-radiation seeker to suppress surface-to-air missile radar. IAI predicts a future where militaries will use multiple layers of unmanned and remotely operated systems.

The company sees the systems as appropriate for a variety of customers, from wealthy nations seeking high-tech weapons to those customers that require an affordable option to compensate for a lack of fifth-generation warplanes.

https://www.defensenews.com/unmanned/2021/02/02/israeli-firm-sells-harop-rotem-kamikaze-drones-to-several-asian-countries

On the same subject

  • Ratier-Figeac résiste à la crise gr'ce à son activité militaire, explique son président Jean-François Chanut

    October 16, 2020 | International, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security, Other Defence

    Ratier-Figeac résiste à la crise gr'ce à son activité militaire, explique son président Jean-François Chanut

    Frappée par la crise aéronautique, Ratier-Figeac parvient à éviter un plan social et préserve l'emploi de ses CDI gr'ce à un accord sur l'activité partielle longue durée. Pour la Dépêche du Midi, le président Chanut fait le point sur l'état de l'entreprise. Entretien. https://www.ladepeche.fr/2020/10/16/grace-a-son-activite-militaire-ratier-figeac-resiste-a-la-crise-9142872.php

  • Boeing’s T-7 Red Hawk trainer enters production in the U.S. - Skies Mag

    February 26, 2021 | International, Aerospace

    Boeing’s T-7 Red Hawk trainer enters production in the U.S. - Skies Mag

    Static test airframe and first production aircraft set to enter joint flight-test campaign.

  • Top Aces logs 80,000 hours of air combat training

    August 15, 2019 | International, Aerospace

    Top Aces logs 80,000 hours of air combat training

    Top Aces Inc. announced that it has broken its own record of 75,000 hours of operational air combat training, reaching an industry leading 80,000 flight hours. No other adversary air provider in the world has delivered this number of flight hours carrying out live air training missions. The milestone came on July 30, 2019, during two-ship Red Air support for German Air Force (GAF) Eurofighters from the Tactical Luftwaffen Wing 71 Richthofen in Wittmund, Germany. The pilots, Elmar “Elmo” Besold and Raimund “Lendi” Lendermann, are among Top Aces' most experienced. A proud provider of advanced and innovative adversary air services to the world's leading air forces in Canada, Australia, Germany, and soon the United States, Top Aces has earned a reputation for its commitment to professionalism, safety, and efficiency. “Our dedication to serving our customers as well as our motivation to always do better have allowed us to reach a record-breaking and unblemished 80,000 flight hours,” said Paul Bouchard, president and CEO of Top Aces. “We are very pleased with this milestone and are committed to continue to deliver the next generation of highly-representative adversary air to all our customers worldwide.” With a current fleet mix of Dornier Alpha Jets, Douglas A-4 Skyhawks, Learjet 35As, Westwinds and a future fleet of F-16s, Top Aces has a flexible offering ready to meet growing client needs. The company has plans for expansion as early as this year. At the prominent Royal International Air Tattoo (RIAT) in the United Kingdom last month, Top Aces had the opportunity to meet with senior leadership from the world's leading air forces to explore growth opportunities. “We are extremely proud to announce this exciting accomplishment for our company,” said Top Aces' chief commercial officer, Russ Quinn. “Our vision remains to be the most trusted provider of advanced air combat training solutions by delivering industry-leading standards of safety, airworthiness and operational excellence.” https://www.skiesmag.com/press-releases/top-aces-hits-80000-hours-of-air-combat-training/

All news