Aircraft

F-35 Advanced

Israel Aerospace Industries are working with Lockheed Martin and Pratt & Whitney for an upgraded variant of the F-35. The basic fuselage will be based on the F-35B, though with the Liftfan moved, propelled only by the single non moving F135-PW-600 GO1 with no axial shaft as the Lift Fan has been removed. A fixed non-folding variant of the F-35C's wing would also be incorporated, allowing for larger fuel capacity and fuel efficiency for greater range, though at slight detriment to maneuverability and max speed. The Liftfan would instead be replaced with an Electronic Warfare package, as well as a 100kW laser, with opening doors on the top and bottom of the fuselage where the lift doors used to be, which folds inside (to limit drag) for 2 laser low drag spherical turrets to pop out. Only 1 would be used at a time depending on the bogey position and plane's orientation. Lockheed Concept and CGI projection for the new fighter

Boeing E-767 Modified

The IAF has also ordered the Boeing E-767 to a modified design to accomodate the EL/W-2095 GaN AESA array which is an upgraded, enlarged Gallium Nitride version of the EL/W-2090 currently utilized by India.

Electronics

EL/M-2062

The IAI ELTA EL/M-2062 is a Gallium Nitride modular AESA multirole A2A and A2G radar. Capable of being modified thanks to its modular design, the ELTA EL/M-2062 is planned to be used to upgrade the radar of the F-16, F-15 or F-35. Providing up to 1200 TRM modules for the F-16, 1350 TRM modules for the F-35, and 2000 TRM modules for the F-15, the EL/M-2062 would have up to 50% greater detection range vs low observable aircraft in the F-35, as well as a 100% increase in range in the F-16 compared to current legacy variant (and around 50% better than the APG-80).

LITENING IV

An upgraded version of the current LITENING pods, LITENING IV incorporates real time colour imagery of targets up to 100km away, combined with an advanced increase in computing power allowing for much more effective targetting, allowing even dumb bombs to be released at marked targets at high Mach with a CAP of less than 5m. This also allows for much more complex bombing profile, such as "lobbing" the payload, greatly increasing the range of dropped bombs (especially glide bombs). LITENING IV also have a datalink between different pods on multiple platforms allowing for some level of data sharing on 4th generation fighters on targets in ground attack missions.

Other

The Green Pine Block D is a standard upgrade of the current Green Pine system based on the TERRA GaN modules, allowing for an extension of the maximum detection range up to 1500-1800km.

EL/L-8294 is a upgraded and podded version of the EL/L-8283 IRST, which will be deployed across the IAF's 4th generation fast jet fleet.

Munitions

Python-6

The next installment in the Python series of missiles, the Python-6 is in essence a Stunner missile (David's Sling) without the booster section being adapted for air launched BVR combat. With an air launched estimated range of more than 120 km, the Python-6 sports the most advanced tracking package any Air to Air missile have, with a dual mode active radar and infrared sensor package operating simultaneously, an asymmetric design allowing for more efficient flight characteristics, and super maneuverability through thrust vectoring. The Python 6 will also be a lot smaller than the AMRAAM, allowing for up to 3 to be fitted on the centerpoint hardpoint inside the F-35's bay instead of 2 with Sidekick, along with another 1 on the bay doors (or 2 though this would require a different release mechanism to be designed) allowing the F-35I to carry up to 8 (or 10) Python 6 in its weapons bay, which would be crucial as with a stealthy profile, the F-35 can afford to be a lot closer to other fighters than traditional doctrine, which means that range is a lot less important than numbers, a theory that missile designers are keen to exploit, seen with Lockheed Martin's Cuda missile concept.

Dark Sparrow

Dark Sparrow is a guided variant of the Silver Sparrow air launched target missile, with a warhead. This modification is cheap and easy to complete, and would produce a weapon with a 450kg warhead and a range of 1,600km.

Gideon

Gideon is the name for a future air breathing hypersonic maneuverable cruise missile, though no additional details have been revealed at this stage.

ELOPE

ELOPE (Extremely Long Ranged, Low Observable, High Projectile Energy) is a new ramjet propelled artillery shell designed for the IDF as a joint project between Boeing, Nammo (Norwegian company), and IAI. Based on an existing 155mm design by Nammo, ELOPE will be readily available for frontline artillery by 2024, with ranges of over 100km.

LORA Upgrades

2 simple upgrades for LORA is expected to be rolled out in 2022 and 2023 respectively. ALORA (Air, LOng Range Attack) is a basic LORA with additional guidance and adaptation for air-launched purposes, with a possible 2 being carried on an F-15 for attack ranges of up to 800km. EXLORA (EXtremely LOng Range Attack) is a ground based derivative of LORA, but with a reduced 400kg warhead and a range of 650km, the maximum range that would comply with MTCR.

Bunker Busters

The MPR2K and MPR10K are bunker buster bombs that weigh respectively 2,000kg and 10,000kg. Designed by Israel Military Industries, they are rocket boosted in order to achieve far greater penetration than bunker busters of similar weight class (Similar to a current plan for the US's Next Generation Penetrator). The MPR10K itself is to be a solution to the GBU-57's heavy weight by utilising a lighter design but with similar penetration thanks to its rocket booster.

Speaking of the GBU-57 itself, the Israeli units will undergo a streamlining process of modification in order to allow them to fit under the F-15's undercarriage.

MSOV Family

The Modular Stand Off Vehicle Family is a family of guided glide bombs designed by Israel Military Industries. Designed to complement the 110lbs FASTLIGHT and 250lbs MLGB. The current MSOV will be renamed the MSOV-M, with a 500lbs MSOV-L and 2500lbs MSOV-H. These complete the Israeli stand off glide bomb family, allowing for efficient ground striking of even moving targets at ranges of around 100km without the use of expensive cruise missiles.

UAV/UCAV

Spiderman

Spiderman is an urban quadcopter combat drone, capable of delivering and sticking explosive onto walls, or delivering 2 frag grenades, or carrying a remotely operated rifle, designed for reconnaissance and urban combat support, or even covert assassination missions.

Hadish

Hadish is the name given to the future Loyal Wingman for the IAF. Israel Aerospace Industries alongside Boeing has been contracted to deliver Hadish, based on the Boeing Airpower Teaming System.

Ashkelon

Ashkelon is a stealthy UCAV designed as an A2A missile truck, strike drone or tanker. Based on the X-47, Northrop Grumman in cooperation with Elbit Systems have been contracted to deliver Ashkelon to squadron service by 2026.

Damascus

Damascus is a planned long ranged strike UCAV. Currently much of the project is still classified, though it's revealed that IAI and Northrop Grumman are contracted to deliver it.

Sea Drone

Intuitively and unsubtly named, Sea Drone is the name for a program to convert drones such as the Heron, Hermes 450, Hermes 900 or Eitan to essentially seaplanes (or rather, Sea drones), capable of landing on water.

Commercial Drone developments

Other commercial sector drone developments include the Eitan-S or Hermes 1501, which are strike variants of both the IAI Eitan and Elbit Hermes 1500. Skylark 4 is a continuation of the battlefield reconnaissance Skylark drone family, now with more advanced thermal imagery and night vision camera and a targetting datalink to feed targetting data to allied artillery or airpower. Bird Eye 700 is an upgrade on the hand launched battlefield reconnaissance Bird Eye series.

Air Defense

Iron Beam

With budgetary approval from the Knesset, Iron Beam is now set to enter service in 2024. A High Energy Laser capable of destroying aerial threats at range of up to 7km, Iron Beam will be the low cost, point defense option for defense of Israel. Costing only $2,000 dollars per shot, Iron Beam will be price competitive with Hezbollah or Hamas missiles, finally ending the missile threat to the Israeli way of life for good. It can also serve to destroy mortar fire or artillery fire, capable of breaking apart shells after 4 seconds.

Arrow 4

A future addition to the Arrow family, the Arrow 4 is still in preliminary stages of development and thus not much information is available about its mission nor capability.

Iron Dome Mk2

After years of testing, and a 100% demonstrated intercept rate, the Iron Dome Mk2 will finally enter service in 2022. Expected to perform at up to 90-95% effectiveness in actual combat, the Iron Dome Mk2 also provides an dome of protection up to 125km in radius, and can now engage targets from all 360 degrees. The increased kill rate also lead to a change in the Iron Dome's command software. Instead of firing 2 missiles at targets the Iron Dome Mk2 will only fire a single missile, with an additional missile following it a second or so after. If the first missile fails, the second missile will engage, but if it doesn't then the 2nd missile, not as committed in its trajectory, will change course to intercept a different target.

Killer

An upgrade to the David's Sling, the Killer missile is planned to enter service with David's Sling batteries as a replacement for the Stunners in 2026. Designed as the first ramjet SAM since the British Sea Dart, Killer will lift David's Sling's range up to 300km, as well as terminal interception of ballistic missiles travelling at up to Mach 10. Killer will also sport a GaN AESA radar thanks to miniaturization technology, alongside a dual infrared seeker similar to the Stunner missile currently in use. Killer will be a hit to kill missile, allowing it to free up more space for guidance and propellant.

Iron Umbrella

Iron Umbrella is the name for a future mobile battlefield SAM system. Similar in concept to the Russian Pantsir, Iron Umbrella will utilise either a truck chassis or the Merkava's chassis to have a completely independent battlefield mobile SAM system. It will incorporate both a 30mm machine gun, effective up to 3km, as well as 2 sextuple launchers for the Stunner missile (without a booster), effective up to 70km. Iron Umbrella will utilize essentially developments made by the Air to Air Stunner missile (Python 6), using the Stunner in a SAM role alongside the EL/M-2062.

Iron Spear

Iron Spear is the name of the project to develop self defense systems for fighter aircrafts. Contracted by the IAF to RAFAEL and Lockheed Martin, this include a 100kW laser to equip the F-35 Advanced as well as a self defense missile based on the Lockheed Cuda missile (which can replace AMRAAM on a 2 for 1 basis). This can allow F-35 Advanced to carry a 100kW defensive laser, or up to 8 Cuda derived self defense anti-missile missile. Lockheed promises that the self defense missiles will also be able to be used against other aerial targets.