The Jerusalem Post reports that Rafael Advanced Defense Systems has introduced Hunter Eagle, “a compact kinetic interceptor designed to counter the rapidly expanding threat of low‑altitude unmanned aircraft on the modern battlefield,” said the newspaper. “First shown publicly at Defence Security and Equipment International (DSEI) 2025 and now presented in its serial configuration at ILA Berlin 2026, the system marks an expansion of Rafael’s layered counter‑UAS (C‑UAS) portfolio.
According to the report:
“The interceptor is a vertical‑takeoff‑and‑landing (VTOL) drone standing roughly 0.4 to 0.5 meters tall and weighing between 5 and 10 kilograms. Its cylindrical fuselage houses an electro‑optical seeker, while cruciform wings carry electric motors with three‑blade propellers at each tip. The design allows for rapid vertical launch from a four‑legged ground support unit, followed by autonomous terminal guidance once the seeker locks onto the target. Unlike loitering munitions or explosive‑laden interceptors, Hunter Eagle uses a pure hit‑to‑kill mechanism. It carries no warhead, eliminating the risk of collateral damage-an increasingly important requirement as drone engagements shift closer to urban areas, critical infrastructure, and friendly forces. If it misses or the mission is aborted, the interceptor can return to its launch point and land vertically, ready for re‑tasking.
“The system can be deployed as a single interceptor or launched in coordinated swarms to counter multiple simultaneous threats. It is engineered to engage Group 1 through Group 3 unmanned aerial systems, covering the spectrum from small quadcopters to larger fixed‑wing drones commonly used for reconnaissance, strike missions, and kamikaze attacks like those seen in Lebanon.”
For more information
https://www.jpost.com/defense-and-tech/article-899330
(Image: Rafael)