Military analysts assert that an upgraded version of the Rocks missile, developed by the Israeli company Rafael, was responsible for the attack that dismantled the radar of the Iranian-manufactured S-300 air defense system. While Israel has not officially claimed responsibility for the operation, it’s evident that it was carried out as a precise retaliation for Iran’s launch of 350 cruise and ballistic missiles and armed drones at Israeli targets.
The ROCKS, a new-generation extended stand-off range air-to-surface missile, is designed to target both stationary and moving assets in environments where GPS signals are inaccessible, as stated in an official announcement from Rafael. Equipped with either a blast fragmentation or penetrating warhead, the missile can neutralize underground or heavily fortified above-ground targets.
According to Rafael, the pilot configures the missile’s mission parameters before release, specifying target coordinates, impact angle, azimuth, topographic imagery data, and fuse delays. The ROCKS is deployed well beyond the range of surface-to-air defenses, following a high-velocity trajectory to minimize risks to both the launching aircraft and the missile, thus ensuring a high success rate in target elimination.
During its midcourse trajectory, the missile utilizes its INS/GPS system for guidance, while homing in on the target is achieved through scene-matching technology or Anti-Radiation capability, effectively countering any GPS jamming attempts.
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