Ultra-Lightweight Missiles for Dismounted Infantry

Dismounted forces are always at a disadvantage when it comes to heavy weapons. That’s why Rafael is introducing two new guided weapons providing the infantry a “tactical multi-domain” capability. 

In a recent series of tests, Rafael demonstrated the Spike SR Precision guided missile, an autonomous (fire and forget), electro-optically guided missile designed for shoulder launch by infantry. “We are very proud of this small missile, which proved to be as lethal as other large-caliber missiles” said Gal Papier, director of marketing and business development at Rafael’s Precision Tactical Weapon Systems directorate.  

The all-up ready-to-launch round weighs less than 10 kg and offers advanced capabilities such as moving target engagement at 2,000 meters using an automatic tracker. It also has a multi-mode warhead featuring a fragmentation, anti-structure and precursor for stand-off activation, making the small missile effective against structures, heavy armor and soft targets. 

Another weapon designed for operations in a confined urban environment is the Firefly, a tactical loitering weapon system that uses a twin-motor, electrically powered coaxial rotor for takeoff, forward flight and hovering. Firefly can operate as both a guided weapon and a scout, effective at a range of 500 meters in an urban setting, or up to 1,500 meters in open terrain. Firefly carries a battery and an omni-directional fragmentation warhead that weighs 400 grams. The warhead can be replaced with another battery, doubling the mission endurance to 30 min. A complete system including three weapons, a control unit and backpack weighs 14 kg, with each munition weighing only 3 kg. 

Firefly carries a gimballed color-EO/IR sensor with computer vision proximity sensors and automatic tracker designed for engagement of illusive targets. Its communications consist of a “micro form-factor” derivative of Rafael’s BNET software-defined radio (SDR) communications system, offering network-enabled warfare capabilities. The unique operating mode enables the user to fly an autonomous (waypoints) path or to fly the weapon “through the camera” to conduct reconnaissance, or engage enemy behind cover and conduct tactical recce, particularly in the complex 3-D of urban terrain.