IAI Harop

The IAI Harop is a loitering munition developed by the MBT Missiles Division of Israel Aerospace Industries. Developed from the IAI Harpy, the system is designed to loiter over a battlefield to conduct intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) before attacking targets via self-detonation. The Harop is canister-launched and utilizes a man-in-the-loop control mode, allowing a remote operator to select static or moving targets through an electro-optical sensor.

Design

The aircraft measures 2.5 meters in length with a 3-meter wingspan and has a radar cross-section of less than 0.5 m². It has a flight endurance exceeding 6 hours, a communication range of 200 km, and a maximum speed of 417 km/h. The system operates up to a service ceiling of 4,600 meters. Armament consists of a 16 kg warhead with a circular error probable (CEP) of less than 1 meter.

Operational History

Turkey was an alleged launch customer for the system in 2005. The Harop was publicly unveiled at Aero India 2009. The Indian Air Force inducted its first units following a 2009 agreement for 10 drones at a cost of $100 million, followed by an order for 54 additional units in 2019. Other confirmed operators include Azerbaijan, Israel, Morocco, and the Netherlands.

Azerbaijan deployed the Harop during the 2016 and 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh conflicts, where the system operated in GPS-jammed zones and temperatures below freezing. On May 10, 2018, the munition was used to destroy a Syrian SA-22 Greyhound air defense system. It was deployed again for strikes in Syria on December 9, 2024. During the May 2025 conflict between India and Pakistan, India utilized the Harop to strike military installations in Karachi, Lahore, and Rawalpindi.

Variants

• Mini Harop: A tactical version with a one-hour endurance designed for launch from canisters on light military vehicles.
• P-4: The designation for Harop systems in service with the Indian Air Force.