Paris Air Show 2015: Rafael Unveils + Presents Innovative Products and Solutions

At Paris Air Show 2015, Rafael Advanced Defense Systems presents several innovative products and solutions. For the first time, Rafael unveils the new I-DERBY ER, an innovative active radar air-to-air missile, providing aircraft with outstanding and effective performance in short range up to long BVR intercepts; LITENING 5, a new generation navigation and targeting pod featuring advanced high-resolution sensors for effective stand-off identification and targeting; and Reccelite XR –real time multi-spectral reconnaissance system for stand-in and stand-off missions.

Rafael SPIKE-ER on TIGER helicopter.  (All photos via Rafael) 

Rafael unveils I-DERBY ER, an innovative active radar air-to-air missile providing aircraft with effective performance in short range up to long Beyond Visual Range (BVR) intercepts. The missile incorporates the innovative I-DERBY RF seeker, combined with an increase of kinematic performance, with launching range of 100 kilometres. The I-DERBY ER is equipped with innovative building blocks, including a state-of-the-art, Rafael-made RF seeker, based on solid-state technology. The new seeker is software-defined, enabling full operational flexibility by controlling all functional parameters, including waveform and duty cycle, via software allowing a unique performance.
This capability facilitates upgrading missile performance against new emerging threats and enemy tactics, such as new EW threats or new airborne targets. I-DERBY ER can be used as an interceptor in the combat-proven SPYDER Short and Medium Range Air Defence Systems. The new missile is designed to fit inside an existing SPYDER-SR launcher. All SPYDER systems are designed to engage and destroy a wide spectrum of threats, such as fighter aircraft, helicopters, cruise missiles, UAVs, and stand-off weapons.

The I-DERBY ER maintains legacy capabilities of Rafael's SPYDER air defence systems, and is designed for simplified integration on leading fighters, to include: F-16, F-15, Sukhoi-30, JAS-39 GRIPEN, MIRAGE-2000, LCA, and F/A-50. 

I-DERBY ER also contains advanced Electronic Counter-Counter Measures (ECCM) designed to meet the challenges of air combat in hostile environments and with its exceptional operational flexibility, it can be tailored to the customer's operational requirements. I-DERBY ER incorporates a dual-pulse rocket motor, trajectory shaping and data-link, providing the missile with an excellent kinematic capabilities and a complete information package on the selected target and other targets in close vicinity.

Rafael also unveils LITENING 5, an advanced next-generation Airborne Targeting and navigation pod. LITENING is a combat-proven multi-spectral airborne targeting pod, and is designed for targeting and designation of targets by day and night. LITENING presents pilots with real-time, Forward Looking Infra-Red (FLIR) and TV HD color camera imagery. The high resolution sensors and the electro-optical (EO) effective design enables pilots to operate the pod at stand-off ranges reliably identify the targets and consequently avoid collateral damage. It is fully operational 24 hours a day and in adverse weather conditions.

The LITENING Pod is in operational use worldwide. Over 1,500 Pods have already been sold to customers around the world. It is integrated on more than 20 platforms worldwide.

All sensors are incorporated in a single pod and provide the fighter aircrew with the flexibility to perform multiple missions/tasks including:

• Detection/Recognition/Identification/Laser designation of targets at standoff, EO tracking of multi stationary targets in A/G missions, Auto detection of multi dynamic targets in A/G missions and aerial targets in A/A missions.
• EO tracking of the selected aerial target in A/A mission, Accurate target location extraction and pointing, Co-operative missions with target hand-over by Laser spot detection & Laser marking means utilising Night Vision Goggles (NVG) and Interoperability with advanced munitions (JDAM, Image and location oriented).

At Paris Air Show 2015, Rafael showcases MIC4AD - 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 defence, traditionally operated as separate commands. MIC4AD correlates real-time data from distributed sensors/platforms (radars, IFF system, data links, EO), all connected to the air traffic control picture and mission planning system. The data is analysed to deliver a real-time, coherent national Air Situation Picture (ASP).

Highly automated, easy-to-use and with advanced interactive displays, MIC4AD is a true force-multiplier. Enabling unified command and fire control of multiple air and missile defence systems, MIC4AD delivers multi-mission, multi-layer and multi-range C4I capabilities that ensure end-to-end air and missile protection.

Rafael furthermore presents BNET - an advanced IP Mobile Ad-hoc Network (MANET) Software Defined Radio (SDR) for tactical operations.  With unique high spectrum efficiency, as well as cognitive capabilities, the BNET offers exceptional connectivity, enhancing the exchange of information on the battlefield.  Providing simultaneous voice, data and video communication, BNET is a major breakthrough in capacity, scalability, low latency and quality of service (QoS).  BNET technology is available in several configurations which make up the BNET Family: BNET-HH (Hand Held) for the soldier in the field, BNET-V (Vehicular) for operation on combat vehicles and BNET-AR (Airborne) for airborne platforms. All are interoperable with existing legacy radios and have the ability to interact with each other, meeting the demands of modern Net-Centric Warfare (NCW).

In the area of air and missile defence, Rafael presents IRON DOME, a dual mission counter rocket, artillery and mortar (C-RAM) and Very Short Range Air Defense (VSHORAD) system. IRON DOME is an affordable, effective and innovative defence solution (C-RAM class), designed for quick detection, discrimination and interception of asymmetric threats such as short-range rockets (up to 70 km), mortars, and artillery shells, and also serves as a VSHORAD Missile System against traditional air defence targets (aircraft, helicopters, UAVs, and PGMs). IRON DOME uses a unique interceptor with a special warhead that detonates the targets in the air. The system can engage multiple threats simultaneously and efficiently. IRON DOME has undergone significant upgrades, enabling it to counter a very wide variety of aerial threats, as was experienced during Operation "Protective Edge," against rockets that were fired at many areas in Israel in July-August 2014.

Since becoming operational by the Israeli Air Force in April 2011, IRON DOME has successfully intercepted over 1,700 rockets that have been fired from the Gaza Strip, from the Sinai and from Lebanon at Israel, with 90% rate of success (as reported by the Israeli Air Force). In doing so, the system has saved lives and prevented serious damage to property.

Rafael also presents DAVID's SLING, an affordable and lethal solution against long-range artillery rockets (LRAR), short-range ballistic missiles (SRBM), cruise missiles (CM) and traditional air defense threats. DAVID's SLING is a joint Rafael-Raytheon development, and provides optimum protection for the homeland as well as for forward deployed forces. DAVID's SLING is designed to provide an additional layer of defence against ballistic missiles by adding more interception opportunities to the joint US-Israel ARROW Weapon System (Boeing and Israel Aerospace Industries -IAI), resulting in an improvement in the State of Israel’s defence capabilities against missile threats. In March 2015, the DAVID's SLING system underwent its third full system test, successfully defeating a typical threat.  Final test and IOC are expected within the near future.

DAVID'S SLING (STUNNER) is an advanced multi-mission, multi-platform interceptor designed for insertion into integrated air and missile defence systems.  STUNNER's lethal hit-to-kill effects ensure a wide margin of tactical overmatch against a broad spectrum of air and missile defence threats.

STUNNER Model.

Rafael also presents SPICE - a family of stand-off, autonomous, air-to-ground weapon systems, capable of hitting and destroying targets with pinpoint accuracy and at high attack volumes. SPICE is combat-proven and in service with the Israeli Air Force and several international customers. It uses state-of-the art navigation, guidance and homing techniques to achieve the accurate and effective destruction of targets with a CEP of better than 3 metres. SPICE's scene matching algorithm compares the EO image received in real - time via the weapon seeker with mission reference intelligence data stored in the weapon computer memory. According to Rafael, it can overcome Target Location Error and GPS jamming, and can dramatically reduce collateral damage.
The SPICE family includes:

• SPICE-250 – the latest addition to the SPICE family. It is a new generation stand-off Precision Guided Munition (PGM). SPICE-250 has a standoff range of 100 kilometres. 
• SPICE-1000 kit for 1,000lbs general purpose or penetration warheads, such as MK-83 and RAP1000, with a stand-off range of 100 kilometres.
• SPICE-2000 kit for 2,000lb general purpose or penetration warheads, such as MK-84, RAP2000 and BLU-109, with a stand-off range of 60 kilometres.

SPICE-1000

Furthermore at Paris Air Show 2015, Rafael presents SPIKE – a family of missiles suited for land, air and naval platforms, multiple ranges and a variety of targets. The missiles in this family have a tandem warhead and sophisticated electro-optic CCD and IIR sensors for day/night all-weather operation. The missiles' lofted trajectories enable the warhead to strike the target at its most vulnerable location with pinpoint precision. The SPIKE Family members have a low life-cycle cost due to their high reliability, operational and logistic support and production commonality between members.

SPIKE

The family consists of:

• SPIKE NLOS is an EO guided multipurpose missile for ranges of up to 25km with pinpoint accuracy and midcourse navigation. The weapon system can be launched from land, air and naval platforms.
• The SPIKE-ER is an extended-range, multi-purpose anti-armor missile system designed for operation from various platforms, including helicopters, fast boats and combat vehicles. It can also be mounted on a tripod for ground operation. SPIKE-ER is capable of defeating targets at a range of up to eight kilometres. 
• SPIKE-MR and SPIKE-LR are lightweight, 4th generation, man-portable missile systems that share many of the same features that combine to meet the challenges presented by enemy forces. SPIKE-MR operates in Fire and Forget mode with autonomous medium-range target engagement up to 2,500m. SPIKE-LR has Fire and Forget and Fire and Update capability, and can engage targets at up to 5,000m. Both missiles can be fired from an enclosure. 

SPIKE NLOS

At Paris Air Show 2015, Rafael also unveils RecceLite XR,  a multi-spectral, multi-role, real time stand-off reconnaissance system consisting of an airborne pod, a wide digital D/L, and a ground exploitation station. The RecceLite XR is based on the RecceLite, which is in operational use worldwide. Reccelite XR simultaneously collects high resolution images at: NIR, SWIR, MWIR and Color sensors at a high rate, while enabling Long Range Photography as well as Vertical and Stand in capability. Its gimbaled payload enables stabilized photography, irrespective of aircraft maneuvers or deviation from flight route. With unlimited field-of-regard and a variety of scanning modes for optimal photography of all types of terrain, Reccelite XR can perform Persistent wide area scanning, Gate keeping, Line search, Mapping, and 3D modeling. Reccelite XR mission plan is carried out via automatic operation or can be manually controlled for targets of opportunity. Reccelite XR Real-Time Intelligence has a wide-band digital data link for real-time transmission and interpretation and real-time mission plan update via D/L.

RecceLite on Eurofighter TYPHOON. At Paris Air Show 2015, Rafael showcases its "successor," RecceLite XR.