About IAI Harop:
- Developed by: Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI).
- Category: Loitering munition — blends features of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and missiles.
- Key Features:
- Carries an explosive payload.
- Loiters for over 9 hours in the air before locating and crashing into a target.
- Nicknamed a “suicide” or “kamikaze” drone due to its self-destructive targeting method.
- Can be operated autonomously or remotely.
- Resilient against Electronic Warfare (EW) and immune to GNSS jamming.
- Advantages:
- No need for pre-identified targets — operator uses onboard electro-optical camera to visually scan and select targets in real time.
- Ideal for time-critical, relocatable, high-value targets.
- Capable of attacking from any direction in either shallow or steep dive profiles.
- Operational Use:
- Deployed against high-value tactical targets like:
- Air defense systems
- Command posts
- Tanks
- Supply depots
- Unmanned surface vessels
- Deployed against high-value tactical targets like:
Why in News?
- It is understood that India deployed Israeli-made IAI HAROP drones against Pakistani air defence systems.

