WeaponSpecs
Missile Israel flagIsrael

Rafael Advanced Defense Systems

Spike ER

An extended-range, vehicle- or helicopter-launched member of the Israeli Spike missile family, providing fire-and-forget or man-in-the-loop precision strike against armor, bunkers and small vessels well beyond typical ATGM range.

In service since 1997 · 20 operator countries

Compiled from public sources ·primary reference ↗ ·last verified 2026-07-02

8

km range

0.6

Mach

8

kg warhead

Pricing: Unit cost not publicly disclosed

Procurement snapshot

Availability & export

Israeli export-licensed

Israeli MoD (DECA/SIBAT) licensing; active export programme.

Channel: Direct commercial / G2G

Fielded & proven

Widely fielded · 20 operators

In service since 1997. Status: active.

Lifecycle cost (est.)

No public unit price to model from. Why so few systems publish one →

Interoperability

No standardised NATO calibre / datalink detected in public specs.

Derived guidance from public data, export regime by country of origin, lifecycle from the GAO ~30% acquisition rule. Verify eligibility, pricing and offsets with the manufacturer and your acquisition authority.

Full specifications

Performance

Speed, range, altitude and engagement capability.

Performance specifications
Max speed (Mach)

Maximum speed as a multiple of the speed of sound. Mach 2+ is typical for air-superiority fighters.

0.6 Mach
Bottom 6% of missiles
Range

Maximum distance: ferry range for aircraft, operational range for vehicles, maximum engagement distance for missiles. Higher means more standoff or persistence.

8 km
Stronger than 16% of missiles

Firepower

Armament, payload and guidance.

Firepower specifications
Warhead

Warhead mass. Heavier generally means larger effect radius, at the cost of range.

8 kg
Stronger than 15% of missiles
Warhead type

Blast-fragmentation, shaped charge (HEAT), penetrator, thermobaric or nuclear-capable.

Tandem-charge HEAT
Guidance

How the weapon finds its target: inertial, GPS/GLONASS, active/semi-active radar, infrared, laser, TV, wire.

Electro-optical/infrared homing, Fiber-optic and RF datalink, Lock-on before or after launch

Physical

Dimensions, weight and crew.

Physical specifications
Length

Overall length including gun/probe where applicable.

1.67 m
Combat weight

Fully loaded weight. Lighter eases transport and bridging limits; heavier often means more armor.

34 kg

Propulsion

Engine, power and fuel.

Propulsion specifications
Propulsion type

Turbofan, turboshaft, diesel, gas turbine, solid-fuel rocket, ramjet…

Solid-fuel rocket

Program

Cost, production scale and operators.

Program specifications
Operator countries

Number of countries operating the system. More operators means broader support ecosystem.

20
Stronger than 84% of missiles

Specifications compiled from public Rafael Advanced Defense Systems and reference sources ↗. Published defense figures are approximations, treat comparisons as directional. Last verified 2026-07-02.

Compare with rivals

See how it stacks up

Frequently asked questions

What is the range of the Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Spike ER? +

The Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Spike ER has a maximum range of 8 km.

How much does the Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Spike ER weigh? +

The Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Spike ER has a combat weight of 34 kg.

What is the Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Spike ER used for? +

The Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Spike ER is a missile typically used for anti armor, close air support.

How many countries operate the Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Spike ER? +

The Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Spike ER is operated by 20 countries.

How much does the Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Spike ER cost? +

Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Spike ER: Unit cost not publicly disclosed. Defense program costs are rarely fully public and vary by contract and configuration.

Similar systems

Related coverage

Spike ER in the news