Indian Defence Review

Rafael’s vision combines between the company’s historical roots and present activities as Israel’s national laboratory, making significant investment in R&D, while continuing to grow financially and boasting substantial presence in the global market.

Rafael has created partnerships with companies in Israel and with leading aerospace and defense companies overseas. Offset activities and industrial cooperation have been organized with over 20 countries worldwide. Over the last decade, international business activities have been steadily expanding across the globe, with Rafael acting as either prime contractor or subcontractor, capitalizing on its strengths at both system and subsystem levels.

As such, it holds more than 100 teaming agreements with companies overseas. These agreements bolster Rafael’s ability to compete in the global market, synergize its activities with foreign partners and reduce costs. Sharing our knowledge with our partners and facilitating local production gives them a competitive edge and our global customers an economic and operational advantage. One example of this is Rafael’s Spike Family of tactical guided multi-purpose missiles, which have been sold to over 20 countries, in part with local production.

Rafael’s wide variety of products, coupled with Israel’s frequent regional military challenges generate an exceptional degree of flexibility in adapting Rafael’s technologies to the operational requirements of both local and international users.

Yedidia Yaari, Rafael’s President and CEO.

Rafael, with its proven building blocks is one of the few worldwide vendors that can provide an end-to-end solution based on extensive knowledge and experience that has been gained over the last 50 years in providing aerial networks, applications and communication solutions.

Air Warfare Systems

Rafael’s air warfare systems are among the best in the world. Its airborne missile systems include active-radar as well as full-sphere IIR air-to-air missiles for short-to-beyond visual range threats. Its array of air-to-surface missiles includes stand-off weapons and precision-guided ammunition kits for use against high-value ground targets. Rafael also offers missile targets for TBMs. Rafael’s electro-optic targeting and navigation pod is the most widely used pod in the world and its unique airborne reconnaissance pod is known for its ability to shorten the sensor-to-shooter cycle. Rafael’s airborne communication systems include ROIP voice communication solutions, data links and wireless networks for full connectivity on all levels. Rafael also offers advanced airborne electronic warfare products including support jammers, RWR, ESM, ELINT and ECM systems.

Iron Dome

Rafael, with its proven building blocks is one of the few worldwide vendors that can provide an end-to-end solution based on extensive knowledge and experience that has been gained over the last 50 years in providing aerial networks, applications and communication solutions.

Rafael’s multi-layered protection systems provide comprehensive protection for armed forces and population centers by delivering victory in the air and full protection on the ground. Systems benefits include:

Defense against a broad spectrum of aerial threats

Multi-layered protection defends against low cost rockets, PGMs and new generation tactical ballistic missiles, Unmanned Air Vehicles (UAVs), combat aircraft, helicopters and cruise missiles.

Fully integrated, coordinated tri-force solution

System solutions meet the requirements of each of the armed forces-army, air force and navy – and can be integrated, coordinated and operated by tri-forces to provide comprehensive interoperability and interchangeability.

Davind Sling

Rapid response, high mobility and transportability

Effective, quick and timely responses deal with an entire spectrum of threats, even in the most demanding, saturated attack. Systems are transportable by air, land, and sea to allow flexible deployment and protection.

Open system architecture

Fully open system architecture enables flexible adaptation to varied platforms and other air defense systems. The modular architecture allows deployment in assorted configurations to meet specific requirements, tailored to the customer’s needs.

Cost-effective, affordable solution

System compatibility reduces cost and manpower training.

Changes in modern warfare and the new needs that have arisen from the way modern battles are fought, have brought about new thinking that has led Rafael to take advantage of its long-standing experience and knowhow in missile technology to address the needs of air defense. Throughout the years Rafael has developed many generations of different types of air-to-air missiles, to include the Python-5 and the DERBY, serving also as air defense systems (SPYDER) that are capable of defeating a variety of aerial threats and are already in operational use in a number of countries.

Missile attacks in the last ten years against Israel brought about the development of “Iron Dome” – a counter short-range rocket system, which since its initial deployment in 2009 has intercepted over 500 rockets that have been fired from the Gaza Strip at Israel, with an extremely high rate of success, preventing numerous casualties and damages to civilians and military personnel, as well as critical strategic assets.

Iron Dome is an advanced defense system, designed for quick detection, discrimination and interception of rockets & mortar threats with ranges of up to and over 70 km and against aircraft, helicopters, UAVs and PGMs. The system is effective in all weather conditions, including low clouds, rain, dust storms or fog.

The Iron Dome provides robust, yet selective defense. Its ability to discriminate between threats headed towards the defended area and those that will fall into the sea or open fields reduces costs and limits unnecessary interceptor launches. A single launcher can protect against a medium-size city

Iron Dome uses a unique interceptor with a special warhead that detonates the targets in the air within seconds. The system can handle multiple threats simultaneously and efficiently.

Spyder SR MFU

Currently under development in partnership with Raytheon USA, David’s Sling is an affordable and lethal solution against Long Range Artillery Rockets (LRAR), Short Range Ballistic Missiles (SRBM), Cruise Missiles (CM) and traditional air defense threats. The system provides optimum protection for the homeland as well as forward deployed forces.

The David’s Sling Weapon System is composed of a Battle Management & Command Array, as well as an Interceptor Array. The Multi-Mission Radar is used for the detection and tracking of threats. The Weapon Control System (WCS) is a battle management & weapon control system that enables optimal, real-time mission planning against a large number of simultaneous threats. The WCS is also the system’s interface to senior command levels, Air Control Units, as well as to other sensors and defense systems.

The interception array is composed of four Missile Firing Units, each one is carrying 16 Stunner interceptors.

Stunner is an advanced innovative interceptor that provides a low-cost solution against a large variety of threats. The Stunner’s seeker detects and tracks the most challenging targets in all weather conditions and maintains precision aim-point selection at end-game.

The Stunner’s lethal hit-to-kill effects ensure a wide margin of tactical overmatch against a broad spectrum of air and missile defense threats.

David’s Sling’s modular architecture enables integration with a variety of defense systems, providing an expanded defense envelope.

David’s Sling is closing the gap in the national defense envelope and providing a low-cost comprehensive solution against the growing threat.

The system recently completed a first full interception test.

Modular, Integrated C4I Air & Missile Defense (MIC4AD)

One of Rafael’s most recent developments in the area of air defense is MIC4AD (Modular, Integrated C4I Air & Missile Defense). MIC4AD is an advanced, unified, integrated C4I system that commands and controls the operation of both air and missile defense, including air-superiority missions. MIC4AD provides a total solution for multi-system, multi-layer and multi-range air and missile defense, traditionally operated as separate commands.

Rafael is a leading C4I supplier for the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) and various forces worldwide. Due to the increased complexity of current and expected campaigns the need for a full NCW (Net Centric Warfare) capability in the modern combat force is almost mandatory. This complexity is derived from two main scenarios: all out war with other nations and the asymmetric warfare with guerilla forces. The first scenario is challenging due to the battle magnitude and due to the fact that the fighting is held against a well equipped & skillful adversary. The second scenario is challenging due to the need to trace and destroy evasive, well concealed forces, often located in urban areas.

NCW is vital in both scenarios synchronizing large forces with increased lethality and survivability and enabling the “net of sensors” and shortening the decision cycle of tracking, identifying and destroying enemy forces.

Rafael’s C4ISR systems have been combat proven not only in the IDF, but also in many defense forces worldwide. The systems provide solutions for a wide range of C4ISR missions; from close range urban warfare to long range airborne missions. Rafael’s C4ISR systems include: real-time reconnaissance and processing systems, enemy fire detection systems, electro-optic targeting and reconnaissance pods for aircraft, helicopters and UAVs, mobile reconnaissance and aerostat observation systems, tactical C4I systems and voice communication solutions for improved battle management.

Communications

Rafael is the main supplier of communication systems to the Israel Air Force, particularly data links, ROIP voice communication solutions, wireless networks, and built-in data links for high-end digital communications in helicopters. Data links have become invaluable tools for reconnaissance, guided weapons, missiles and unmanned vehicles, while advanced digital communication networks provide tactical data and voice applications. Rafael offers state-of-the-art, jam-resistant and secure communication system solutions in the UHF to Millimeter Wave (mmW), as well as narrow-band and wide band data-links, airborne tactical networks, data & voice networks and relay systems. Voice/radio over IP services are offered for all branches of the armed forces.

A core requirement in an aerial campaign is the ability to detect, recognize, identify and perform target navigation. Rafael has developed “Litening”, an advanced electro-optical Pod, in use by more than 20 air forces around the world, mounted on a variety of kinds of fighter aircraft. Rafael’s has also developed Reccelite, for day/night reconnaissance real-time imagery collection and data transfer via data link communications for manned and unmanned aerial vehicles.

The integration of these capabilities and others makes Rafael a leading authority in providing solutions in the area of critical asset defense, as part of Rafael’s System Integrated Solutions (SIS). Such solutions will enable many countries to deal with challenges they face from sea, air and land, in protecting infrastructure such as bases, power plants, rigs, ships and more.

Spyder SR + Spyder MR Launcher

These systems and others allow Rafael to offer its customers a wide variety of cutting-edge, cost-effective capabilities, most of which are in operation today. These capabilities provide a comprehensive array to deal with today’s variant battle arenas and complexities.

There is a growing need to increase cooperation and partnership with global clients, while maintaining knowledge transfer and adaptation of existing solutions to the specific needs of the user, thereby providing the added value in a highly competitive environment. As such, one of Rafael’s main strategic endeavors is to bolster its cooperation with the DRDO, as well as with other leading defense industries in India.