Israel Aerospace Industries Ltd
IAI Harpy
The IAI Harpy is a loiter‑and‑strike unmanned combat aerial vehicle developed by Israel Aerospace Industries Ltd. (IAI) in the late 1990s as a response to the growing need for autonomous, network‑centric suppression of enemy radar systems. First unveiled in 1999, the Harpy entered service with the Israeli Air Force and was subsequently marketed to a range of international customers, becoming one of the earliest examples of a self‑guided “fire‑and‑forget” loitering munition.
Key features include a programmable, high‑speed, twin‑propeller airframe capable of endurance up to 6 hours and a ceiling of roughly 30,000 feet. Its onboard passive radar seeker locks onto electromagnetic emissions, allowing the vehicle to autonomously locate, track, and dive onto hostile radar sites without external control. The system’s modular payload can carry a 27‑kilogram high‑explosive warhead, delivering precise strikes while minimizing collateral damage. Ground control stations provide mission planning, but once released the Harpy operates independently, making it suitable for “saturation” attacks against dense air‑defence networks.
The Harpy’s significance lies in pioneering the concept of autonomous suppression‑of‑air‑defence (SEAD) in a compact, cost‑effective platform. It demonstrated how loitering munitions could complement traditional UAVs and guided missiles, influencing subsequent designs worldwide and reshaping modern electronic‑warfare tactics.
Key features include a programmable, high‑speed, twin‑propeller airframe capable of endurance up to 6 hours and a ceiling of roughly 30,000 feet. Its onboard passive radar seeker locks onto electromagnetic emissions, allowing the vehicle to autonomously locate, track, and dive onto hostile radar sites without external control. The system’s modular payload can carry a 27‑kilogram high‑explosive warhead, delivering precise strikes while minimizing collateral damage. Ground control stations provide mission planning, but once released the Harpy operates independently, making it suitable for “saturation” attacks against dense air‑defence networks.
The Harpy’s significance lies in pioneering the concept of autonomous suppression‑of‑air‑defence (SEAD) in a compact, cost‑effective platform. It demonstrated how loitering munitions could complement traditional UAVs and guided missiles, influencing subsequent designs worldwide and reshaping modern electronic‑warfare tactics.
Classification
Production & History
- First Flight
- 1994