Germany tests Israeli short-range ballistic missiles LORA

During the night from 1 to 2 September, the German Navy’s frigate Sachsen-Anhalt tested fired two short-range LORA ballistic missiles. The ship was cruising in the Northern Atlantic Ocean, between Iceland and Ireland, according to the German authorities. The two strikes were ordered sequentially from two retractable canistered launchers. A video has been published by the German Navy showing the configuration.1 This deployment mode allows for limited adaptation from the platform.2

The LORA is a short-range missile developed by the Israeli company IAI. Various versions can be deployed onboard ships, aircrafts or on road-mobile trucks. It has been notably exported to Azerbaijan, which used it in the 2020 war against Armenia.3 India’s company Bharat Electronics is reported to have signed a contract with IAI to produce the LORA in India.4 Additionally, according to local media, Greece is reputed to have signed a deal to procure this strike system in December 2025.5

IAI indicates that the system has a length of 5.2 m, a diameter of 624 mm and a weight of 1600 kg. It publicises a range comprised between 90 km and 430 km and praises the high accuracy of this solid-engine, single stage missile which relies for its guidance on GPS/INS.6

The ability of the system to be adapted easily from various platforms is promoted by the constructor as one of its main assets. Its operational history is mostly uncertain. Apart from the Azerbaijani strike, the air-launched variant Air LORA has in all likelihood been used against Iran in 2025 or 2026, but no confirmation of strikes have been released by the Israeli Air Force.7

The news agency DPA has indicated that Germany plans to move ahead with procuring the Israeli missile.8 This move is a concrete evidence of the ambition of European countries to develop their deep precision strike systems, whether by foreign acquisition or domestic developments.9