Harop drone

Why in News?  India’s reported use of Harop drones in strikes on Pakistani targets (e.g., Lahore, Karachi, Rawalpindi) during Operation Sindoor, following a terror attack in Pahalgam.

About  Harop  Drone :

The Harop, developed by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), is a loitering munition, also known as a suicide or kamikaze drone, combining features of an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) and a missile.

• It is designed to hover over battlefields, conduct surveillance, and execute precision strikes by crashing into targets with an explosive payload.

Key Specifications:

Developer: Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), MBT Missiles Division.

Range: Up to 1,000 km (though some sources cite 200 km for specific missions).

• Endurance: Up to 9 hours of loitering time.
• Speed: Maximum of 417 km/h.
• Payload: 16-23 kg explosive warhead.
• Sensors: Equipped with electro-optical (EO), infrared (IR), FLIR, and anti-radar technology for target detection.
• Operation Modes: Autonomous (seeks and strikes targets independently) and man-in-the-loop (operator-controlled via two-way data link, allowing mission abort or retasking

Types of Drones and Examples:

Loitering Munitions (Suicide/Kamikaze Drones):

Harop (Israel): As described, used for precision strikes on high-value targets.

Harpy (Israel): Fully autonomous, anti-radiation drone targeting radar emissions; lacks man-in-the-loop control.

Shahed-136 (Iran): Low-cost, long-range loitering munition used in swarm attacks, notably in Ukraine.

SkyStriker (Israel): Smaller loitering munition used by India in Operation Sindoor for pinpoint strikes.

Reconnaissance/Surveillance Drones:

Examples:

Searcher (Israel): Used by India for reconnaissance missions, equipped with advanced sensors.

Heron (Israel): Medium-altitude, long-endurance drone for surveillance; India uses Heron Mk-2 for target acquisition.

RQ-11 Raven (USA): Lightweight, hand-launched drone for short-range ISR.

Combat Drones (UCAVs):

Armed drones capable of launching missiles or bombs while returning to base.

Examples:

MQ-9 Reaper (USA): Long-endurance drone for surveillance and precision strikes with Hellfire missiles.

Bayraktar TB2 (Turkey): Widely used in Ukraine, equipped with laser-guided bombs.

Wing Loong II (China): Chinese UCAV for surveillance and combat with missile capabilities.

Delivery/Logistics Drones:

Examples:

Zipline Drone (USA): Used for medical supply delivery in remote areas, notably in Africa.

Amazon Prime Air (USA): Prototype drone for package delivery, still in development.

 Swarm Drones:

• Operate in coordinated groups for overwhelming defenses or covering large areas.

Examples:

• ALTIUS-600 (USA): Modular swarm drone for ISR and strike missions.
• Indian Army Swarm Drones: India is developing indigenous swarm drones for tactical operations.