Rafael’s Derby active-radar air-to-air missile has been in service since 1998 and is in operational service with six customers. To keep the missile capable of meeting current and future threats, Rafael has undertaken two major upgrades that not only improve seeker performance, but greatly increased range capability.
As a first step Rafael (Static A8) developed the I-Derby with an all-new seeker head and guidance package. The package is more flexible than the previous unit, with a better ability to control the waveform. Its electronic counter-countermeasures performance is improved, a necessary step to match and stay ahead of advances in electronic warfare systems. At the same time, the seeker retains the “lock-on before launch” function that gives the Derby a short-range “fire and forget” capability, in which the missile’s seeker head can be slaved to the pilot’s helmet display for close-in dogfighting.
