Rafael unveils video of counter-drone capability on Typhoon weapon
By
Seth J. Frantzman
Friday, Feb 17
The 30mm variant of the Typhoon weapon is seen on a ship. (Courtesy of Rafael Advanced Defense Systems)
JERUSALEM — An Israel company has
released footage of its Typhoon remote controlled weapons station downing small drones, ahead of the
sister conferences IDEX and NAVDEX taking place this month in the United Arab Emirates.
Rafael Advanced Defense Systems unveiled the video Feb. 17, in which it demonstrated counter-drone capabilities conducted in the last month. The 30mm weapon Typhoon Mk-30c and the 25mm Typhoon variant are in service with several navies around the world, including the U.S. Navy. But it’s the new counter-drone capability that adds to the types of missions the gun can perform.
The company has 32 customers worldwide for the Typhoon and has installed 750 of the systems, according to Ran Tavor, who leads Rafael’s naval warfare systems business.
“We developed enhanced capability for the typhoon family, focusing on the 30mm, because of its caliber and also because of [its ability to use] different types of rounds such as the air burst munition,” Tavor said.
The system offers the operator fire correction, which can minimize the number of rounds needed to down a UAV. The system fires bursts of 10 rounds, and the company says one or two bursts is enough to down a drone threat.
The company also noted that drone swarms are an issue that forces must address “one by one, and do it fast.” “[W]e’ve enhance the magazine from 200 to 400 rounds so you don’t need to load it too often,” the company added.
The capability is operational and the company is offering it to customers as an upgrade to existing systems. It has a range of approximately 3 kilometers (1.9 miles).
Rafael is also focusing on its sixth-generation Spike NLOS missile system, which it
announced last year and customers can now install on ships. With a standoff range of 32 kilometers, Tavor said the sixth-gen version can simultaneously attack a single or different targets with four missiles, “and we can do a handover from a vessel to [another operator] to take control of the target, and it also has the automatic target recognition within the seeker — a library of targets pre-inserted — and it looks automatically to find the right target.”
He added that the capability is suited well to littoral combat areas, or near islands, but can also work during sea-to-sea operations.
The Gulf is a new market for Israel in the wake of the Abraham Accords, which saw the Jewish state improve diplomatic relations with several Arab neighbors. Tavor said Rafael hopes to increase business in the region.
He also sees NAVDEX as an opportunity to highlight these types of weapons because of the drone threat in the “neighborhood” — a reference to the Gulf and nearby areas. Among other attacks, Saudi Arabia’s Abqaiq and Khurais oil facilities in September 2019 were
hit with drone swarms and low-altitude cruise missiles.
A statement from the company noted that the Spike NLOS system “is operational in various navies worldwide and is compatible with a range of warheads.” Rafael says its SPIKE family of systems were so far sold to 39 countries, including 19 NATO countries.
An Israel company has released footage of its Typhoon remote controlled weapons station downing small drones.
www.defensenews.com
Rafael to show off laser weapon at IDEX, opens new facility in UAE
By
Seth J. Frantzman
Friday, Feb 17
Israeli company Rafael has created Iron Beam, a high-energy laser weapon. (Courtesy of Rafael Advanced Defense Systems)
JERUSALEM — An Israeli defense company has inaugurated a new facility in the United Arab Emirates, and plans to show off a high-energy laser weapon to attendees of the
IDEX conference, taking place in Abu Dhabi this month.
The head of Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, Yoav Har-Even, attended the inauguration ceremony with Israeli and Emirati officials, according to a Feb. 16 company news release.
“We are encouraged by yet another concrete step in strengthening Rafael’s ties with the UAE. We can now say that we have built the bridge to the United Arab Emirates by this inaugural investment and are excited to continue to expand the relationships that have been cultivated thus far,” Har-Even said.
Rafael Advanced Defense Systems is opening a new facility in the United Arab Emirates. (Courtesy of Rafael Advanced Defense Systems)
The Gulf is a new market for Israel in the wake of the Abraham Accords, which saw the Jewish state improve diplomatic relations with several Arab neighbors.
The company will also exhibit its
Iron Beam high-energy laser weapon at IDEX. The technology, designed in Israel, augments the capabilities of the Iron Dome air defense system. This will be the first time the UAE gets a look at the new laser system.
Reports last year said the UAE was seeking to acquire Rafael’s Spyder air defense system. Rafael said the Spyder received upgrades “to allow for the counter ballistic missile capability through an extended range of the Derby LR missile.”
The Gulf is a new market for Israel in the wake of the Abraham Accords, which saw the Jewish state improve diplomatic relations with several neighbors.
www.defensenews.com