Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Ltd. (formerly: RAFAEL Armament Development Authority רשות פיתוח אמצעי לחימה), known as RAFAEL or Rafael, (also spelled as Raphael or Rephael, and in Hebrew: רפאל - מערכות לחימה מתקדמות בע"מ) is the Israeli authority for development of weapons and military technology. Rafael is a former sub-division of the Israeli Defence ministry and is considered a governmental firm.

Rafael develops and produces fighting-technologies for the Israel Defence Forces as well for exporting abroad. All current projects are classified.

Contents 1 History 2 Products 3 See also 4 References 5 External links

[edit] History

Rafael was established in 1948 as the Science Corps (Hebrew: חיל המדע‎) under the leadership of Shlomo Gur, and was renamed to the Research and Design Directorate (Hebrew: אגף הפיתוח והתיכנון‎) in 1952. It was finally reorganized as Rafael in 1958.^[1]

[edit] Products

• Wolf Armoured Vehicle jointly produced with Hatehof Netzer Sereni[1][2]
• LITENING targeting pod - precision targeting system.
• Typhoon Weapon System - stabilized naval weapon station (SNWS)
• Protector USV - an unmanned surface vehicle with Lockheed Martin and BAE Systems
• Python 5 - Air-to-air missile with full-sphere capabilities.
• Popeye (AGM-142) Air-to-surface standoff missile
• Spike anti-tank guided missile.
• SIMON breach grenade - Door breaching rifle grenade (RELM/GREM)
• WallBuster - Wall Breaching Grenade Launcher
• CARPET minefield clearing
• Add-on armour: passive armour and reactive armour coats.
• Electronics and electro-optics.
• Rafael Overhead Weapon Station
• Samson Remote Controlled Weapon Station - a Remote Controlled Weapon Station (RCWS) installed on armoured fighting vehicles or naval vessels and can be controlled from within the cabin. Various armaments are possible:
  • 7.62 mm machine gun (known as MAG Rafael)
  • autocannon in caliber of 20 mm up to 40 mm
  • 30 mm autocannon combined with two ATGMs pod and 7.62 mm light machine gun
• TROPHY Active Protection System for armoured fighting vehicles [3]
• Skylark\Skylite canister-launched mini-UAV [4]
• High-tech systems for the Merkava main battle tank and the Merkava APC "Namer".
• MATADOR short range anti-armour weapon

[edit] See also

• Israel Defence Forces
• Military equipment of Israel
• Israel Military Industries
• Israel Aircraft Industries (IAI)
• Elbit
• El-Op
• Soltam

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Rafael official website
• Rafael at EurpStory 2004
• Rafael at the LIC-2005 conference

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