Most armies classify Ballistic Missiles as strategic weapons for their capability to hit hard and deep in the enemy. However, as modern conflicts sway from asymmetric warfare to prolonged wars against peer and near-peer forces, ballistic missiles have become part of the land forces’ “long arm,” extending land artillery and naval attack capabilities. Conceived in the early 2000s, Israel Aerospace Industries’ (IAI) combat-proven Long-Range Artillery weapon system (LORA) was designed to address this requirement.
IAI offers LORA as a weapon capable of engaging strategic targets deep in the enemy’s territory, launched from land mobile or maritime platforms. Typical targets are fixed or transportable, such as infrastructure assets (bridges, communications hubs, power stations) or surface-to-air missiles SAM sites. With an accuracy of 10 meters, LORA performs precision strike missions equivalent to an aerial guided weapon, hitting the target without warning and risk to an expensive aircraft.
The missile follows a proven design of a warhead, solid-rocket propulsion unit, and the navigation, flight control, and guidance units coupled with the cruciform tail control surfaces. This modular design contributes to very reliable operation and simple logistics. It is stored in a sealed canister, ensuring a maintenance-free shelf life of seven years.
Designed for rapid deployment, LORA uses an integrated GPS/INS system to rapidly establish the launch position without preliminary ground surveying and site preparation. This system also determines the exact position of the missile relative to the target throughout the flight, enabling flexible maneuvering, maintaining an optimal flight path, and shaping the terminal strike angle according to the mission requirements.
The missile has a multi-purpose, blast fragmentation or a penetration warhead, each weighing 240 kg. As a quasi-ballistic missile, LORA can employ trajectory shaping and maneuverability to determine the terminal hit the target at 90 degrees. Together with the high impact speed, it maximizes the penetration effect and damage. The missile can also follow pre-programmed maneuvers post-launch and upon re-entry to conceal its launch point and intended target, thus denying the enemy from taking defensive measures or attempting to intercept the missile or attack the launcher. Fast and maneuverable, LORA is designed to overcome modern anti-ballistic missiles and is immune to electronic warfare (EW) and GPS countermeasures.
The missile can be used in two configurations – land transportable or maritime. Each concept of operation has its advantages. The transportable version has a small footprint and minimal visual and electromagnetic signatures, and it can be easily transported and hidden in areas out of enemy reach. The missile can be launched within a few minutes from unprepared positions, and any target whose location is known within the range of the missile can be struck within less than five minutes from the launch decision. As for the maritime version – the LORA can be launched from “blue water,” well beyond the horizon. The shipborne LORA uses an onboard command and control unit located at the ship's combat information center (CIC). The missiles are launched from canisters in a vertical trajectory, while directing the hot gases to the side of the vessel, eliminating damage to systems on the deck.