There is deep concern in the Israeli defence establishment as the ministry of defence has not yet allocated funds for the full development of the Sky Sonic air defence system that is designed to intercept hypersonic missiles. It was a...
To read the full article, please log in or enter your email below:
There is deep concern in the Israeli defence establishment as the ministry of defence has not yet allocated funds for the full development of the Sky Sonic air defence system that is designed to intercept hypersonic missiles.
It was a year ago that Israeli company Rafael, a state owned defence company, started to develop the unique interceptor with its own funds. The company expected the ministry of defence to fund the full scale development of the system. The Israeli ministry of defence and Rafael declined to comment on the issue.
According to Rafael , the Sky Sonic interceptor represents a major technological leap in hypersonic missile defence. The interceptor is designed with exceptional maneuverability and high-speed capabilities, enabling it to effectively neutralize hypersonic missiles, which travel at ten times the speed of sound, with unmatched precision and stealth.
Over the past years, the threat posed by hypersonic missiles has escalated, necessitating proactive measures to safeguard national security. Rafael has developed the Iron Dome and David's Sling air defence systems and is now developing the Iron Beam laser-based system.
Hypersonic missiles encompass a new family of threats, including hypersonic atmospheric cruise missiles, gliders, and cruisers that travel at incredible speeds while maintaining exceptional accuracy and maneuverability. Unlike ballistic missiles, hypersonic missiles have the ability to change their course mid-flight. Consequently, a successful defence against hypersonic threats requires a multifaceted approach that involves not only countering their speed but also effectively tracking, detecting, and intercepting their unpredictable flight paths.
Rafael revealed that the new interceptor will use the national early warning systems serving the other systems of the Israeli multi-tiered system against rockets and ballistic missiles. It also confirmed that the Sky Sonic will intercept either by kinetic kill or by a proximity fuse that will activate the special warhead. The U.S missile defence agency has been briefed on the new systems.
Israel will have to upgrade its multi-tiered missile defence systems to cope with new threat posed by the Iranian hypersonic missiles. The Fattah hypersonic ballistic missile was presented by the IRGC of Iran on June 6, 2023. The missile has some distinct qualities; according to Israel senior experts, it is a hypersonic missile. The status of the program is not clear and experts believe it is being flight tested prior to initial deployment.
According to Tal Inbar, an Israeli senior analyst, the Fattah missile diameter is about 1 meter. The missile, according to Inbar, is about 15.3 m long. The expert added that the missile has a takeoff weight of appr 12 tons, including nearly 9-ton of propellants. The Israeli expert said that the reentry vehicle (RV) weighs 1 ton and the warhead 350 to 450 Kg. The missile uses a guidance and navigation systems based on INU and GNSS (GPS & GLONASS).
The missile's first stage is based on (or identical to) the Khaibar Shekan missile. The Reentry Vehicle (RV) has a sturdy rocket motor similar to the kick motor used in satellite launchers, the Arash-24. An electrically steerable nozzle is part of this motor. For controlling the missile throughout the boost and reentry phases of flight, the RV includes four steering fins.
According to the Israeli expert, Iran is probably the first country in the world to implement a rocket motor into a hypersonic RV. "On the other hand, the concept of utilizing small rocket motor in an RV is not new in the Iranian designs." Inbar said that the development of such hypersonic, long-range, strike missile requires performing set of ground and flight tests. "One might assume that they experienced some setbacks and failures along the development phase, although none were published," he added.
Russia is also developing a hypersonic missile and there are indications that it was ued in Ukraine. Israeli analysts say that there is clear forensic evidences that suggest that during the missile attack on Feb. 7 this year, Russian forces used a 3M22 Zircon missile to strike a target in Ukraine's capital city, Kyiv. According to Tal Inbar and Yair Ramat, two senior analysts, the photos of wreckage found in Kyiv indicates that this was probably the first operational shot of the ZIRCON hypersonic cruise missile in a sea to ground mode.
The Zircon is a Hypersonic cruise missile, developed by the “Scientific Production Association of Machine Building” (NPO Mashinostroyeniya). It uses a solid booster and a Scramjet engine. The max range is 1,000 km. while the warhead weights about 300 Kg.
ZeroAvia's SuperStack Flex highly-customizable LTPEM fuel cell architecture has achieved over 1.0kW/kg specific net power at a full system level,…
Northrop Grumman has been selected by the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) to provide the AN/ALQ-251 advanced radio frequency countermeasures…
Lockheed Martin has completed the delivery of the 51st and 52nd F-35As to the Royal Norwegian Air Force, making Norway…
L3Harris Technologies and Air Tractor have delivered the first missionized OA-1K Skyraider II aircraft to support U.S. Air Force Special…
Archer Aviation has signed an agreement with Ethiopian Airlines, making it the second customer planning to deploy Archer’s Midnight under…
ecube, aircraft disassembly specialists, were able to reuse, repurpose and recycle 83% of a British Airways Airbus A320 through a…
Vard, Norwegian subsidiary of the Fincantieri Group, has signed a contract for the design and construction of one offshore subsea…
PLD Space has signed an agreement with space logistics firm D-Orbit to deploy satellites aboard its MIURA 5 rocket to…
Embraer and South African aerospace and defence company Denel officially signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) during the LAAD Defense…
Exail has been awarded a contract by the Oceanic Observatory of Madeira (OOM) to supply a DriX O-16 Uncrewed Surface…
AAR has completed the divestiture of its non-core Landing Gear Overhaul business to GA Telesis for $51 million. On December…
The U.S has stepped up its campaign aimed at decreasing the Iranian capabilities to develop and manufacture additional armed UAVs.…
The Portuguese Air Force (PRT AF) is joining Embraer and the Brazilian Air Force (FAB) in collaborative studies to identify…
Sweden has officially committed to acquiring four C-390 Millennium multi-mission aircraft, securing the necessary production slots. The official announcement came…
Columbia Helicopters has renewed its aerial firefighting contract with CMC Savunma Sanayi A.S. (CMC) in Turkey. This marks Columbia's fifth…
Mayman Aerospace has announced the successful completion of test flights for the RAZOR P100, which will be the first commercial…
China Airlines of Taiwan has signed a firm order with Airbus for ten A350-1000s, finalising a commitment announced by the…
Rheinmetall and Lockheed Martin, partners in the Global Mobile Artillery Rocket System (GMARS) program, recent hosted a summit to discuss…
CAE Defense & Security has been awarded the competitive re-compete to support the U.S. Army Aviation Center of Excellence (AVCOE)…
Israeli company BIRD Aerosystems has obtained Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) approval for the installation of its Airborne Missile Protection System…
Turkish defence company Havelsan has signed an agreement with the Chilean Navy for the ADVENT Combat Management System (CMS). Chile…
The US Army Special Operations Aviation Command (USASOAC) has awarded Boeing a $240 million contract to remanufacture five MH-47G Block…
LEAV Aviation has partnered with AirFi to introduce a new inflight entertainment, connectivity, and retail system from March 2025. The…
AAR CORP. has extended its exclusive Serviceable Engine Products agreement with FTAI Aviation Ltd. for the CFM56 used serviceable material…
Integrated and Reliable Data Distribution Systems for Naval Platforms Developed by HAVELSAN, the Platform Data Distribution System (PDDS) and Submarine…
Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) has showcased the RobDozer, a remotely operated military bulldozer, during a demonstration in the United States…
HAVELSAN has signed a cooperation agreement with Egypt’s Kader Advanced Industrial Factory, affiliated with the Arab Organization for Industrialization, to…
Vojensky technicky ustav, s.p. (VTU), the Czech Republic’s military technical institute, has selected Exail to provide Advans inertial navigation systems…
ASELSAN will participate in LAAD 2025 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from 1-4 April, as it seeks to strengthen its…
Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) has launched the second 3,200-ton frigate for the Philippine Navy. The vessel, named BRP Diego Silang,…
Headquartered in Singapore with reporters spread across all major regions, GBP Aerospace & Defence is a leading media house that publishes three publications that serve the aerospace and defence sector - Asian Defence Technology, Asian Airlines & Aerospace and Daily News. Known industry-wide for quality journalism, GBP Aerospace & Defence is present at more international tradeshows and exhibitions than any other competing publication in the region.
For over three decades, our award-winning team of reporters has been producing top-notch content to help readers stay abreast of the latest developements in the field of commercial aviation, MRO, defence, and Space.
Copyright 2024. GBP. All Rights Reserved.
Home Defence & Security Space Commercial Aviation Maintence Repair & Overhaul Daily News Events About Us
2025 GBP all rights reserved.