IAI to unveil new tactical radar that seeks out low-flying drones at US's AUSA military expo

Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) announced on Sunday that it will unveil a new radar solution that can detect low-flying drones from its position suspended high above the ground.

The system, known as POINT@AIR, brings long-range radar detection and persistent surveillance to a compact, highly mobile aerostat platform. The unveiling was made at the Association of the United States Army (AUSA) Annual Meeting & Exposition in Washington, taking place this week.

The radar’s elevated position extends its line of sight beyond terrain and other ground-level obstructions, supporting earlier detection of low-altitude threats, while enabling forces to adapt surveillance coverage as mission requirements evolve.

In that sense, a heavy focus will be on anti-drone defense, an area where Hezbollah exposed IDF weaknesses during the 2026 conflict, leading to significant IDF losses.

The system will not replace MMR radar technology and other radars which are primarily focused on long-range detection, but will supplement them in certain specific areas where the threats, such as drones, are evolving.

Persistent operation, rapid relocation capabilities

Designed for persistent operation and rapid relocation, the system can operate without reliance on permanent infrastructure and can detect and track multiple aerial, maritime, and ground targets.

This is one of the new major issues, given that enemy threats have become more unpredictable regarding where and how they will attack from.

It supports multiple missions simultaneously, prioritizes targets according to operational requirements, and interfaces with command-and-control systems to contribute to an integrated operational picture, signaling the continued move toward greater integration of AI and the full network of sensors.

IAI's CEO Guy Bar Lev: 'Seeing the battlespace is the starting point for every effective defense'

Guy Bar Lev, president and CEO of IAI, said, “Seeing the battlespace is the starting point for every effective defense. The more persistent and comprehensive that view becomes, the better equipped forces are to understand what is unfolding, anticipate threats and act with confidence. IAI is increasingly developing next-generation capabilities that expand the boundaries of situational awareness and provide our customers with greater visibility, flexibility and time to respond.”

Dror Bar, CEO of ELTA Systems and EVP at IAI: “POINT@AIR reflects a fundamental shift in how persistent surveillance can be delivered - bringing sophisticated radar capabilities to an elevated platform that is smaller, more mobile and adaptable to the mission. Our goal was not simply to reduce the size of an existing solution, but to rethink what an aerostat-based radar could achieve. By combining advanced AESA technology, long-range detection and 360-degree coverage in a compact configuration, POINT@AIR gives operators the ability to establish persistent awareness where fixed infrastructure may not be practical.”

Based on the proven ELM-2083 radar family, POINT@AIR incorporates advanced Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) technology, with electronic scanning in both azimuth and elevation combined with mechanical rotation to provide 360-degree coverage.