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Rafael unveils Super Ice cruise missile with 1,000-pound warhead

•2 min read•Analysis
An Israeli Air Force F-16I Sufa in flight, the Super ICE launch aircraft, a stand-in, not a Super ICE missile photograph. Sand and navy duotone. Headline: Rafael Unveils Super ICE With A 1,000-Pound Warhead.
Major Ofer, Israeli Air Force / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0. License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/. Rights basis: CC BY 4.0. Adapted to sand and navy. Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:IAF-F-16I-2016-12-13.jpg
Mentioned:Rafael

Rafael unveiled the Super Ice cruise missile in November 2026, a larger member of its cruise missile family designed for air, land, and sea launch. The weapon carries a 1,000-pound warhead and features AI capabilities, low-observable design, and GNSS-denied environment operation.

What's happening

  • Super Ice joins Rafael's cruise missile family alongside Sea Breaker, introduced in 2021, and Ice Breaker, introduced in 2023.
  • The system features a 1,000-pound warhead, low-observable design, AI capabilities, and high-accuracy image-matching technology.
  • Super Ice is compatible with existing air launch platforms including F-15 and F-16 aircraft, as well as land and sea launch systems used by Sea Breaker and Ice Breaker.
  • The missile operates in GNSS-denied environments, flies at high subsonic speed, and navigates at low altitudes.

Why it matters

  • Rafael's cruise missile orders reached 1 billion dollars by 2023 with more than 1,000 units sold by 2024, establishing the segment as a high-volume production line.
  • Multi-platform compatibility leverages existing infrastructure and reduces life-cycle costs for customers already operating Sea Breaker and Ice Breaker systems.
  • Extended range and strategic capability position Rafael to compete in a growing global cruise missile market against emerging firms and traditional suppliers expanding production.
  • Common architecture across the missile family enables customers to expand operational capabilities without platform redesign.

Going deeper

  • Super Ice is described as comparable in size to the American-made Tomahawk cruise missile, setting it in a larger class than its predecessors.
  • The system reportedly offers solutions against hardened targets including bunkers, ballistic missile launch sites, and naval vessels.
  • Rafael Chairman Yuval Steinitz positioned Super Ice as the best cruise missile of its kind in the world, claiming leadership in long-range stand-off strike capability.

The fine print

  • Rafael did not disclose whether Super Ice is currently operational as of the November 2026 announcement.
  • Exact range was not disclosed beyond indication that it exceeds the 300-kilometer range of Sea Breaker.
  • No pricing, production schedule, or customer interest announcements were provided.
Source: Breaking Defense · Nov 11, 2026 · Drafted with Claude, reviewed by Industrial Base Alpha.

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