Unlike older drones that just observe or guide missiles, drones like FireFly are self-destructing weapons.
By Hezy Laing
The IDF has begun deploying a sniper-capable drone, the SPIKE FireFly to eliminate terrorists with pinpoint precision while keeping soldiers out of harm’s way.
Unlike older drones that just observe or guide missiles, drones like FireFly are self-destructing weapons that hover in the air, search and lock onto a target, and detonate.
They are specifically designed for urban combat, where visibility is limited and threats hide behind cover.
These new drones are operated remotely by infantry units, often from inside buildings or armored vehicles and they are designed for manual or autonomous operation
Autonomously they can travel silently through alleys or rooms, scanning for targets using AI-assisted targeting.
This allows them to identify and eliminate threats with minimal human input.
It also carries a small explosive payload.
Once a target is confirmed, the drone detonates with lethal accuracy, minimizing collateral damage
The drones reduce risks to IDF troops in dense urban environments like those in the Gaza strip.
The SPIKE Firefly was developed by Israel’s Rafael Advanced Defense Systems and is known in the IDF as MAOZ.
The FireFly drone’s operational introduction in the recent Gaza war was hailed as a major success, allowing elite units to destroy
terrorist command centers and weapons caches without exposing themselves to direct fire.
Units such as the 14th Armored Reserve Brigade and Paratroopers Brigade integrated the drones into their missions to neutralize Hamas operatives hiding in tunnels and dense urban areas.
