Rafael’s new Super Ice cruise missile packs 1,000-pound warhead

Rafael Advanced Defense Systems unveiled Super Ice, a long-range cruise missile with a 454-kilogram (1,000-pound) warhead, on November 11, 2026. The Israeli manufacturer says the weapon can be launched from aircraft, ships and ground-based launchers, expanding its existing Ice Breaker missile family. 

According to Rafael’s announcement, Super Ice carries an MK83-compatible warhead and features autonomous navigation, low-altitude terrain-following flight and all-weather operation. Its electro-optical guidance system uses image-matching technology to identify and engage targets. 

A warhead four times heavier than Ice Breaker’s 

Super Ice joins the air-launched Ice Breaker and the naval and land-based Sea Breaker in Rafael’s cruise missile portfolio. 

Rafael first presented Ice Breaker in July 2022, ahead of that year’s Farnborough International Airshow. The company’s product page lists a range of 300 kilometers (186 miles), along with an imaging infrared seeker using scene-matching and automatic target recognition. 

At its unveiling, Rafael said Ice Breaker carried a 113-kilogram (250-pound) warhead, making the Super Ice warhead four times heavier. 

According to Rafael, the new missile is compatible with the family’s existing launch systems, mission-planning infrastructure and logistics, allowing operators to expand their strike capabilities without overhauling their support systems. 

Gad Geva, head of Rafael’s Air Systems Division, said Super Ice was designed for integration on a wide range of aircraft without major modifications. He described the two missiles as complementary, giving customers the option to select a weapon according to the target. 

Rafael targets high-value air-defense systems 

Rafael chairman Yuval Steinitz said Super Ice is intended for long-range stand-off strikes against high-value targets, including air-defense systems. He placed the new weapon in a line of cruise missile development stretching back to Rafael’s Popeye air-to-surface missile family. 

President and CEO Yoav Tourgeman said Super Ice responds to “an existing and growing global need” for advanced long-range strike capabilities. 

Rafael’s announcement comes as other missile manufacturers expand their long-range strike portfolios. At Eurosatory in June 2026, European missile maker MBDA presented its complete Land Cruise Missile system for the first time. The ground-launched weapon is derived from the naval cruise missile used by French Navy frigates and submarines.The post Rafael’s new Super Ice cruise missile packs 1,000-pound warhead appeared first on AeroTime.

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