IAI Harpy NG

Harpy NG keeps the original Harpy concept of a loitering anti-radiation weapon but updates it for a more complex radar environment. The system is still focused on suppressing or destroying emitters, but the NG designation indicates improved capability rather than a completely different class of weapon. It remains most relevant in the opening and shaping phases of an air campaign.

The value of Harpy NG comes from combining a seeker optimized for radar emissions with a loitering flight profile. This lets the munition patrol likely engagement zones and wait for hostile radars to reveal themselves. Compared with a simple missile shot, that persistence can increase pressure on air-defense crews and make brief radar activations riskier.

Harpy NG should be evaluated as a specialized SEAD asset. It can be highly disruptive when the opponent depends on radar-guided surveillance and missile systems, but it is less useful against dispersed targets with limited electromagnetic signatures. Its deterrent and operational effect comes from shaping the enemy's behavior as much as from the number of radars it actually destroys.