Rafael's Super Ice unveiled to surprise enemies in future wars

Rafael Advanced Defense Systems on Tuesday unveiled its new "Super Ice" cruise missile which was designed to continue to surprise various enemies in the future who may have learned many of Israel's tactics in recent years.

Super Ice is the next generation of the Icebreaker cruise missile, launched in 2021-2022, which includes a warhead which is four times the size of the earlier generation, but has managed to reach a faster speed and longer range.

With a 1,000 pound warhead compared to the Icebreaker's 250 pound warhead, Super Ice is far more destructive.

In addition, despite the weight of the warhead, Super Ice can be fired off of all of Israel's major aircraft, F-35, F-16, and F-15.

In contrast, there are some even heavier weapons, which can only be fired from the F-15, an older aircraft lacking stealth capabilities.

Rafael sources declined to disclose the new extended range of Super Ice, but the Icebreaker missile had a 300 kilometer plus range, which means the new product certainly exceeds that.

Likewise, Rafael sources declined to reveal the new higher speed which Super Ice can achieve, but Icebreaker was able to reach at least Mach 0.8-0.9, such that the new model can certainly outperform those speeds.

Generally, the advantage of a cruise missile like Super Ice, as with Icebreaker, is to serve as a lightweight, low altitude, autonomous weapon system which can surprise strategic and well-guarded enemy targets, giving them a very short time warning period before they are struck (which is insufficient warning to defend).

Featuring the powerful 1,000-pound warhead (MK83 compatible), Super Ice also "supports multiple launch platforms across air, land, and sea, providing maximum operational flexibility."

"The missile incorporates advanced capabilities, including robust autonomous navigation, low-altitude terrain-following flight, all-weather operation and high-precision engagement of diverse targets. Its advanced electro-optical guidance system employs high-accuracy image-matching technology," said Rafael.

Rafael VP says Super Ice developed for wide range of platforms

Senior Vice President and Head of Rafael's Air Systems Division Gad Geva said, "SUPER ICE™ was developed for integration across a wide range of aerial platforms without requiring significant modifications to the platforms themselves."

"The missile's multi-domain design also enables launch from air, sea, or ground-based launchers. Together, SUPER ICE™ and ICE BREAKER™ provide an operationally effective and cost-efficient solution, allowing customers to select the appropriate weapon system for each target. Significant savings in mission-planning requirements and life-cycle costs further enhance the family's value," said Geva.

Rafael sources did not designate Super Ice as being developed to handle a specific existing threat which prior Israeli weaponry had not succeeded in coping with.

For example, in addition to Icebreaker and Super Ice, Rafael produces the Blue Sparrow ballistic missile, which according to foreign sources has been used multiple times to strike strategic Iranian targets in past years.

Some have speculated that Rafael's ROCKS or Golden Horizon weapons may have also been used against Iran.

Rather, Super Ice is designed to jump past even future defense systems which Iran and other adversaries might try to develop.

Super Ice usable in naval context, as Israel mulls possible conflict with Turkish navy

Interestingly, Super Ice is usable in the naval context, and Israel has spoken more publicly of late about possible conflict with Turkey's navy, which is more advanced than other Israeli adversaries.

A next generation missile like Super Ice will also sell well with European countries seeking weapons which can deter Russian expansionism, and could also sell well with countries in Asia wanting to deter China.

While Ice Breaker already incorporated advanced AI, electro-optical systems, and anti-jamming systems, it is understood that those and other systems in Super Ice are even more advanced.

While unveiled on Tuesday, the missile is expected to be operational more in the timeframe of early 2027.