Iron Wasp

Iron Wasp is a vehicle-mounted, capsule-launched hard-kill counter-drone interceptor co-developed by Rafael Advanced Defense Systems and SpearUAV to let armored vehicles physically destroy drones and loitering munitions while on the move.

Overview

Iron Wasp is an Israeli counter-drone interceptor announced by Rafael Advanced Defense Systems and SpearUAV in June 2026 and presented at the Eurosatory defense exhibition in Paris. Israel Defense describes it as an encapsulated UAS interceptor launched from a compact Multi-Canister Launcher integrated onto armored vehicles, giving ground maneuver forces an organic, on-the-move ability to intercept low-signature aerial threats without pre-mission preparation. The interceptor is a derivative of SpearUAV's Viper I, an interceptor variant of the company's capsule-launched Viper drone family, with Rafael contributing the warhead, sensor and command-and-control integration.

The system's significance is architectural rather than incremental: it moves hard-kill counter-drone interception from area air defense down to the individual combat platform. Defense Express notes that Rafael positions it not as a stand-alone weapon but as an automated element of overall armored-vehicle protection, working alongside the Trophy active protection system, Drone Dome and the Samson weapon stations. Despite the shared "Iron" branding with Rafael's Iron Dome, Iron Wasp is a platform-level interceptor drone, not a missile battery — and it is unrelated to Elbit's Iron Sting guided mortar round.

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