Rafael unveils new weapon system at Cyprus military gathering

Israeli defence company Rafael Advanced Defense Systems presented its new L-SPIKE loitering munition system to an international gathering of military representatives in Larnaca, during an event hosted by the Cyprus National Guard. The 21st SPIKE Users Club meeting brought together more than 200 participants from 23 countries, with the company announcing that four additional nations had joined its international customer network, bringing the total to approximately 48 countries. Speaking at the gathering, National Guard deputy chief Lieutenant General Neophytos Pachoulides highlighted the contribution of existing SPIKE systems to Cyprus’s defence capabilities, as well as lessons learned from recent conflicts. “For Cyprus, SPIKE provides an important contribution to our overall deterrence and defence posture,” Pachoulides said. “We require capabilities that combine precision, range, flexibility, and survivability,” he added. He praised the performance of the system, saying it had demonstrated “an exceptionally high level of accuracy and reliability, with exceptional firing results under the tested conditions”. Referring to lessons learned from recent conflicts, Pachoulides highlighted the importance of survivability, resilient command and control, rapid precision engagement and the integration of force protection into military training and operations. He also stressed the value of exchanging experience with other armed forces, saying the SPIKE Users Club offered more than information sharing. “It helps us learn from the experience of other nations, from other armed forces, and apply useful lessons to our own needs,” he said. He added that the gathering provided direct interaction between military users, manufacturers and the wider support community. According to a statement issued by Rafael on Monday, the gathering took place in October and provided an opportunity for military operators to exchange operational experience, discuss training and maintenance practices, and examine new developments in precision-guided weapon systems. A central development was the first presentation of the L-SPIKE system to the international SPIKE user community. The system is designed to introduce loitering munition capabilities alongside existing precision-guided missiles, while remaining compatible with launchers already used by SPIKE operators. Rafael also presented new operational concepts for the SPIKE LR2 missile and the integration of SPIKE ER2 and SPIKE NLOS systems across ground, air and naval platforms. Ran Kaplan, vice president and head of Rafael’s Precision Tactical Weapon Systems Directorate, said the development reflected the continuing evolution of the SPIKE family. “The SPIKE family continues to evolve together with its users,” Kaplan said, describing L-SPIKE as a development combining operational experience with new loitering munition capabilities intended to address changing battlefield requirements. The event included a Nations Day, during which military delegations exchanged operational experiences and discussed common challenges, followed by an Industry Day focusing on existing capabilities, future developments and industrial cooperation. The event featured an international competition involving nine national teams, which tested their knowledge and operational skills using SPIKE LR2 systems over three days. Pachoulides described the competition as “a great opportunity for us to enhance our level of training”. The winning teams subsequently participated in live firing exercises involving SPIKE SR missiles. Rafael also announced that SPIKE currently has 13 production lines worldwide, with the company and EuroSpike investing in additional manufacturing capacity. Kaplan said the investments were intended to strengthen supply chains, expand production and respond more rapidly to changing market demands. The SPIKE Users Club was established in 2003 as a forum for countries operating the missile family to exchange technical and operational knowledge. The gathering in Cyprus comes amid expanding defence cooperation between Cyprus and Israel, including the agreement signed on October 26 for the acquisition of a second offshore patrol vessel for the National Guard.