Amid the possibility of renewed strikes on Iran, Rafael on Wednesday morning unveiled a new cruise missile in its Ice Breaker series. The missile is designed to strike distant targets while reducing the likelihood of detection by enemy radar.
The missile, called Super Ice, carries a 453-kilogram warhead, four times the weight of the warheads carried by missiles from the same series used in the covert opening strikes on Iran.
Super Ice can be fired from ground-based launchers, fighter jets, and missile ships, allowing it to be launched from land, air, or sea depending on operational needs.
According to Rafael, one of Super Ice’s key capabilities is its ability to fly at low altitude over long distances, making it harder for enemy radar to detect. It also has precision navigation systems that allow it to continue toward its target without relying on GPS or other satellite navigation.
Rafael executives explained that the missile is designed to remain undetected for most of its flight. Though it might be detected only shortly before impact, at that point, there would be no practical way to defend against it.
Super Ice is the latest addition to the Ice Breaker series of cruise missiles, which Rafael first unveiled several years ago. According to the information released, missiles from the series were used in the covert opening strikes on Iran, when the Israeli Air Force needed to hit distant targets without entering Iranian airspace.
At that stage of the offensive, the Israeli Air Force had yet to establish control over Iran’s skies and needed the ability to carry out covert, precision strikes from long range. The missiles allowed it to strike targets from outside Iranian airspace.
The main difference between Super Ice and the models used in those strikes is the size of its warhead. The earlier models were designed to combine stealth and precision, while Super Ice carries a substantially larger warhead to deliver a more powerful strike against distant targets.
"This is the best cruise missile of its kind in the world," Rafael Chairman Prof. Yuval Steinitz said. "It is the ideal solution for delivering standoff fire and destroying high-value targets, including air defense systems, from long range."
Rafael CEO Yoav Turgeman added, "Rafael’s systems have played a decisive role in combat in recent years, demonstrating their operational importance and their ability to address complex and evolving challenges."
On Tuesday, Iran unveiled a new underground missile city housing a large number of ballistic and cruise missiles. Iranian state television reported that a new advanced missile was also shown at the event. Its name and performance specifications were withheld.