India's air raid on Pakistan: Drones in the line of fire
The Indian Air Force's raid on targets in Pakistan during the night of 6th to 7th May 2025 was supported by "kamikaze" drone attacks. Here's a look at the equipment used by the Indians for this operation.
The Pakistanis claim to have shot down several "kamikaze" drones, including Polish Warmate drones and Israeli HAROP drones. These drones have a very long range and carry a substantial payload, also being employed to hunt down air defence radars.
IAI HAROP drones — a flying bomb with a 1,000-kilometre range
The HAROP drone was first showcased at the Aero India exhibition in 2009. Developed by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), it is an advanced version of the smaller HARPY drone. It has the capability to loiter over a battlefield, waiting for a suitable target, which it then destroys using its warhead.
The IAI HAROP is a large drone weighing approximately 140 kilograms, capable of remaining airborne for 9 hours at an altitude of up to 4,600 metres. Its range is about 1,000 kilometres, and it can maintain communication over a distance of up to 200 kilometres. Beyond this, the drone operates autonomously once the coordinates, target appearance, and search area have been pre-loaded.
HAROP — also capable of hunting air defence radars
Moreover, the IAI HAROP is equipped with a system that targets sources of radio emissions, enabling it to attack, for example, anti-aircraft system radars or communication masts, similar to AGM-88 HARM missiles. Additionally, it features an electro-optical head with a thermal camera, allowing for precise targeting with an accuracy of less than one metre.
This precision, combined with a 16-kilogram fragmentation warhead, ensures high effectiveness against soft targets, light fortifications, and even floating objects.
Israelis highlight that their drone is characterised by good stealth (RCS below 0.5 square metres), which is useful for attacks on targets within enemy territory. The HAROP is capable of attacking from any angle, even vertically. Additionally, the drone allows for the mission to be aborted if necessary, after which it returns to loitering over the area, awaiting another target.
HAROP drones have been acquired by India, Turkey, and Azerbaijan, who have used them in recent conflicts with Armenia over Nagorno-Karabakh, and now India has utilised some against Pakistan.
