Tel Aviv: Prices of advanced military systems are sky rocketing. Israeli company Rafael is making an across the board effort to offer the market, systems with a lower unit price and with a very low price per “shot”.
A good example is the company’s Iron Beam system designed to intercept drones and rockets. The laser beam that this system produces costs according to the company “a few dollars”.
The company’s Iron Dome combat proven air defence system also uses interceptors carrying a relatively low price tag of US $50,000.
Rafael’s leadership confirms that the motivation behind developing such cost-effective solutions is both strategic and practical.
Yoav Turgeman CEO of Rafael has emphasised that lowering costs while enhancing performance is a central goal, pointing out that the Iron Beam is “a system with exceptional capabilities compared to its counterparts, with a lower price, lower than systems that are not as good”.
Rafael Sky Sonic emerges as another proof to this strategy of the company – this systems is an advanced anti-hypersonic missile defence system currently under development by Rafael. The system is designed to intercept hypersonic threats, such as missiles and gliders, at altitudes between 20–70 km, a zone where traditional air defence and anti-ballistic systems cannot effectively operate.
Sky Sonic features a multi-stage interceptor missile. After launch, the missile’s booster accelerates it to very high speeds, then separates and allows the “kill vehicle”—equipped with advanced manoeuvrability and guidance systems—to engage the incoming hypersonic target.
The kill vehicle is designed to either make a direct “hit-to-kill” interception or neutralise the incoming missile via a proximity detonation, which allows for flexibility against highly manoeuvrable threats.
According to the Israeli company, the new interceptor will have exceptional agility and high speed, exceeding Mach 5.The new systems will also include an advanced seeker technology capable of tracking, targeting, and homing in on hypersonic projectiles in the upper atmosphere.
Sky Sonic was publicly unveiled at the Paris Air Show in 2023 and is still in the research and development phase. First test flights are expected in the near future, but a precise operational timeline has not been published. Rafael has invested significant resources in the project and is seeking international partners—notably from the United States—to support further development. The per-interceptor cost is projected to be around US $700,000, relatively lower than some existing Israeli missile defence interceptors.
Israeli experts said that while the projected price of the advanced interceptor may be higher when production begins, the company is known for its efforts to offer the market systems with a ” moderate” price.
Tal Inbar, an senior defence analyst told Raksha Anirveda that when a company like Rafael has “proven building blocks”, it uses them for the development of new systems and that is reflected in lower unit prices.
-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
