The Harpy is a loitering munition-often called a “kamikaze drone”-developed by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI). It is designed to autonomously seek out and destroy enemy radar and air defense systems, making it a key asset for Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses (SEAD) and Destruction of Enemy Air Defenses (DEAD) missions.
Autonomous Operation: The Harpy is fully autonomous and can operate in “fire-and-forget” mode. Once launched, it hunts for radar emissions and attacks without further operator input.
Anti-Radiation Seeker: It detects, locates, and homes in on enemy radar signals, making it highly effective against air defense systems.
Loitering Capability: The drone can loiter (circle) over a target area for up to 9 hours, waiting for enemy radars to activate before striking.
All-Weather, Day-Night Use: Operates effectively in any weather and at any time, including in GPS-denied or contested environments.
Deep Strike Range: Operational range up to 500 km for Harpy and up to 1,000 km for its advanced variant, Harop.
Warhead: Carries a 32 kg high-explosive warhead (Harpy) or a 23 kg warhead (Harop), capable of destroying high-value targets like radars, missile launchers, and fortified positions.
Flexible Launch Platforms: Can be launched from ground vehicles or naval vessels using sealed canisters, allowing for rapid deployment.
Abort and Return Feature: Operators can abort a strike mid-flight, returning the drone to loiter mode to minimize collateral damage.
Multi-Mission: Suitable for land and naval targets, and can strike both stationary and moving targets on land or sea.
The price of a single Harpy drone is approximately $4 million (about ₹33 crore). The Harop, with more advanced sensors and longer range, can cost between $500,000 and $700,000 per unit, depending on configuration and sensors. 10–15 years, with high maintenance costs due to imported parts and sophisticated technology.
Its ability to loiter for hours and strike from any direction makes it nearly impossible for enemy radar crews to predict or evade. Can autonomously hunt, identify, and destroy targets with minimal risk to Indian forces. Used successfully in multiple conflicts, including by Azerbaijan and Israel, and now by India in Operation Sindoor.
The Harpy’s deployment in Operation Sindoor has left Pakistan’s air defense infrastructure vulnerable and created widespread panic. Its precision strikes have demonstrated India’s technological edge and willingness to use advanced weaponry to target terror infrastructure and enemy defenses directly.