IAI Harpy
Israel Aerospace Industries · Israel · first flew 1989 · reconnaissance aircraft
The IAI Harpy is an Israeli loitering munition (suicide drone) designed to autonomously seek and destroy enemy radar emitters. It combines a delta-wing airframe with a radar-homing warhead, circling a target area until it detects an emission.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Mid-mounted, delta |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, fuselage-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 2.7 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | No tailplane |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Tailless delta-wing loitering munition
- Fixed undercarriage-free airframe — single pusher engine
- Cranked delta wing, fired from ground-vehicle or ship launchers
Tiny tailless delta-wing platform with a nose-mounted seeker, no cockpit, and a single rear-facing piston engine; often carried in box launchers on truck beds.
Specifications
- The IAI Harpy has a length of 2.7 m (9 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 2.1 m (7 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 185 km/h (115 mph).
- Typical crew: 0 (unmanned).
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
IAI developed the Harpy from the design of Kentron's ARD-10 loitering drone, bought in the late 1980s, and first tested it in 1989. Sold to China in 1994, its return to Israel for upgrade in 2004 prompted US pressure that strained US–Israeli relations.
Variants
The successor Harop (Harpy 2) is a larger derivative with a camera and man-in-the-loop capability, extending the concept to mobile targets.
Where you'll see it
Operated by the Israel Defense Forces and numerous export customers; not used by the UK.
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- IAI S-2T Turbo Tracker
- IAI Searcher
- IAI Lavi
- IAI Astra
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- AeroVironment FQM-151 Pointer
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