Israel: new advanced precision missiles for IDF artillery.

The Israeli Ministry of Defense announced the signing of a contract for hundreds of millions of shekels with the Israeli Military Industries (IMI) for the purchase and development of advanced precision missiles, JerusalemOnLine reports.

Firing of Accular précision missile (Picture source: IMI)

The Ministry of Defense will acquire precision missiles of different types, some of them classified, ranging from 30 to 150 kilometers away. The rockets will employ sophisticated technologies to adapt them to the needs of the battlefields. 

Among the missile systems, the Ministry of Defense is purchasing is an upgraded version of the Accular rocket artillery system, which has already been in use by the Artillery Corps. This system, developed by IMI, has only recently been declared operational in the Artillery Corps. The system can launch 18 precision rockets into enemy territory in one minute. It is effective, easy to operate, accessible and inexpensive, and has been made available to the commanders of the brigades and battalions. It can be used to attack individuals, structures and infrastructures, and can impact several targets simultaneously. “This precision fire capability significantly improves the army’s capabilities and allows for precise strikes on remote launches with immediate accessibility and at a better cost compared to other combat systems,” the Defense portfolio said.

Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman said the contract is part of the process of buying and developing “high-precision systems that will support Israel’s offensive capabilities”, adding that in a few years’ time the country will be able to “cover any point in the region, both short and long distances”.

Yediot Aharonot’s military correspondent, Ron Ben Yishai, suggested that the Ministry of Defense is not planning a separate missile corps, but rather arming the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) with additional missiles and rockets to support the Air Force’s offensive capabilities in the event that Israel is attacked on several fronts simultaneously.