SINGAPORE—Rafael has launched the initial stages of production for the Ice Breaker cruise missile after receiving orders from two governments, a company executive said Feb. 21.
The orders announced at the Singapore Airshow come a year and a half after the state-owned Israeli manufacturer unveiled the long-range, air-launched missile.
The 350-450-kg (770-990-lb.) missile can deliver a warhead to targets beyond 300 km, said Yuval Miller, Rafael’s vice president for air and sensor programs. Miller confirmed the two customers had signed contracts for Ice Breaker but declined to reveal their identities. Israel is often among the first buyers of Rafael’s new military products.
The weapon’s onboard guidance system permits a low-altitude flight profile. A scene-matching, electro-optical terminal seeker is able to home-in on targets without satellite-aided navigation systems.
Rafael also has developed a concept for a surface-launched variant of the missile. This Sea Breaker design would be adapted with a solid-rocket booster for launch from ships and ground vehicles.
The midwave infrared sensor on the missile is able to passively home-in on the target in any weather, Miller said. Despite being an electro-optical sensor, the company’s testing shows that the device is able to see through certain obscurants, such as fog and smoke, he added.
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