Arrow developer IAI unveils new weapon against drone swarms
The Hypnosis system uses electronic warfare to disrupt satellite navigation and neutralize large numbers of drones without relying on missile interception.
An attack involving swarms of dozens or even hundreds of drones simultaneously targeting cities or strategic facilities is one of the greatest challenges facing air defense systems worldwide. Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) believes it has developed a new tool to address that threat.
The company unveiled “Hypnosis,” a new system designed to disrupt and neutralize a range of aerial threats that rely on satellite navigation, with a focus on large-scale drone swarms launched in coordinated attacks. Such swarms are considered particularly difficult to intercept because they can overwhelm defensive systems through sheer numbers while increasing the chances of reaching their intended targets.
According to IAI, Hypnosis provides operators with a “soft defense” capability by disrupting and misleading the satellite navigation systems used by drones and other aerial threats. The system does not physically destroy incoming threats but instead interferes with their ability to accurately navigate toward their targets.
The system consists of multiple field-deployed units that operate in coordination through a dedicated command-and-control center. According to the company, tests have demonstrated that Hypnosis can autonomously neutralize a large number of threats approaching the same target simultaneously from multiple directions.
IAI said the system is designed to protect sensitive strategic sites, energy infrastructure, military bases and concentrations of forces. Hypnosis was developed by the company’s Systems, Missiles and Space Systems Division, which is responsible for several of its advanced air defense programs.
Guy Bar Lev, vice president and head of the division, said the system “represents a leap forward in the capabilities to protect vital assets by being a new, efficient and cost-effective layer” added to Israel’s multi-layered air defense architecture, which includes kinetic interception systems.
IAI declined to disclose which countries are considering purchasing the system or whether it is being evaluated by the Israel Defense Forces.
IAI develops and manufactures some of Israel’s most advanced air defense systems, including the Arrow 3 and Barak MX systems. The company is chaired by Boaz Levy, while Moshe Levy, head of its Military Aircraft Division, is serving as active CEO until a permanent replacement is appointed.
Since the outbreak of the October 7 war, IAI has accelerated the development of new systems aimed at addressing emerging threats facing the IDF across multiple fronts. According to Chairman Boaz Levy, the effort reflects “an understanding that the modern battlefield requires integrated and multi-layered defense capabilities capable of dealing with a variety of threats simultaneously.”
The rapid proliferation of low-cost drones has turned them into a global challenge for militaries and governments, as relatively inexpensive systems can be used to overwhelm traditional air defenses and threaten critical infrastructure. In Ukraine, both Russia and Ukraine have relied extensively on drones for reconnaissance and long-range strikes. Similar concerns have emerged in other regions, including India, which has invested heavily in defenses against drone incursions along its borders, and in the Middle East, where Iran and its allies have used drones as a central component of their military capabilities against Israel and other regional targets.
