Tel Aviv: A special commando unit of the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) on September 4 used the Rafael Firefly loitering weapon system against a group of armed terrorists in the Genin refugee camp in the west bank. The unique systems hit the group and neutralised it.
FireFly (Maoz) was designed for fighting within the urban arena where situational awareness is limited, the enemy is behind cover, and precision is critical. FireFly is rapidly deployed within seconds. It is portable, durable and includes a rugged airframe to withstand the harsh environment of urban combat. Its single-user operation is designed for the dismounted soldier – light, small, and agile.
Firefly features a dual seeker, target tracker, homing algorithms, computer vision, Safe & Arm fusing mechanisms, and a rugged tablet-based HMI (Human Machine Interface).
Rafael says that the operation of FireFly is very intuitive, with no special skills required. FireFly enables overmatch to break combat deadlock, and has a lethal effect on stationary and moving targets with or without line-of-sight to operator.
FireFly has an abort/wave-off capability and full, safe return capability to the operator up to attack command. It can be operated day and night, and has low visual and acoustic signature.
According to Rafael, FireFly will dramatically revolutionise the infantry doctrines in urban close-combat, enabling precision engagement for the lower tactical echelons beyond-line-of-sight. This according to the company, will give IDF soldiers a tactical edge in close combat. Rafael visualises Firefly as a building block in future potential applications for a large variety of battle arenas.
-The writer is an Israel-based freelance journalist. The views expressed are of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the views of Raksha Anirveda
