Israel Aerospace Industries Ltd. (IAI) has signed a contract to supply a HAROP Loitering Munitions (LM) system to a foreign customer.
The contract is estimated to be worth over $100 million.
Itzhak Nissan, president and CEO of IAI said, "HAROP is an extremely impressive system, and everyone at IAI is proud of this accomplishment. This is a state-of-the-art loitering munitions system, which features accurate detection capabilities and minimizes collateral damage to the surrounding area."
The HAROP is one of the systems being exhibited by IAI at the Paris Air Show.
Separately, the German armed forces and Germany's Ministry of Defense (MOD) have approved an operational requirement utilizing IAI's HAROP system. The project will be implemented in cooperation with Rheinmetall Defense as the prime contractor.
The German MOD has already invested funds for the adaptation of HAROP to its specific requirements. Part of the adaptation was successfully performed by a joint IAI/Rheinmetall Defense team, and a follow on contract is planned for this year. This activity is a reflection of the successful cooperation between IAI and Rheinmetall Defense, which has also included projects involving Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs).
HAROP is a long endurance LM which can be launched from a variety of platforms, and is equipped with tactical UAV capabilities. It searches, detects, attacks and hits high value re-locatable, time critical, land or sea-based, moving targets with pinpoint accuracy at long ranges. A HAROP unit is comprised of LM launchers and a Mission Control Shelter (MCS) that enables missile control with a Man in the Loop operation, engagement or abort attack capability in real time, avoiding collateral damage.
Loitering munitions can be launches and stay in the air for some time until programmed to hit a target.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on June 16, 2009
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