Elbit Systems has announced that it has been awarded a contract worth approximately USD 190 million to supply additional Iron Sting laser-guided and GPS-guided mortar munitions to the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF).
The Iron Sting is a precision-guided mortar munition launched from a 120mm mortar and is designed to accurately target and destroy objectives, using both inertial GPS and laser guidance technology. Iron Sting has a range of up to 12 kilometres and features a multi-mode fuze with Point Detonation (PD), Point Detonation Delay (PDD), and Proximity Sensor (PRX) operating modes with a loading time of approximately 15 seconds.
Yehuda (Udi) Vered, General Manager of Elbit Systems Land: “Following the combat experience our cutting-edge guided mortar munition has accumulated, this contract further cements our position as a market leader in precision-guided solutions. With the rise of military conflicts in urban environments, armed forces around the world demand accurate technologies that minimize collateral damage. Elbit Systems’ Iron Sting meets this critical need.”
Israeli Military Industries (IMI) began development of the Iron Sting in the early 2010s and continued after Elbit Systems acquired IMI in 2018. In March 2021, the Iron Sting completed a successful series of tests, marking the end of its development phase and indicating its readiness for delivery to the IDF. The IDF procured the Iron Sting during 2021–2022 and is operated by reconnaissance platoons. The Iron Sting saw its first operational use in October 2023 during the Israel-Hamas War.
