On Friday, February 7, the Israeli Navy announced that it had successfully conducted launch tests of its new Gabriel 5 anti-ship missile, which was deployed against a vessel simulating an enemy threat. According to the official statement, members of the Directorate of Defense Research and Development (DDR&D) of Israel’s Ministry of Defense also participated in the test, along with personnel from the program’s primary contractor, the local company Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI).
Providing further details, the test served as the perfect opportunity to evaluate the platform’s performance in a realistic scenario, assessing the entire process from target detection to missile deployment. The success of this test marks a significant step forward for the Israeli Navy in acquiring new long-range offensive weaponry for its ships. The Gabriel 5 missile previously underwent its first test launch in 2022 from a Sa’ar 6 corvette.
Regarding the test, Yehuda Elmakias, head of the DDR&D research and development unit, stated: “The operational test launch was a remarkable success and provides the Israeli Navy with greater operational freedom. It strengthens Israel’s maritime offensive capabilities, which will continue to develop in order to maintain maritime superiority, protect its assets, infrastructure, and, most importantly, ensure the safety of its citizens.”
For an overview of the known characteristics of the Gabriel 5 platform, it is useful to refer to information published in 2019 by the Finnish Navy, which has a contract with IAI to equip its fleet with these new anti-ship missiles. At that time, the Merivoimat reported that the missile has a range of over 200 km, weighs 1,250 kg, and has a length of 5.5 meters. Each missile is equipped with GPS/INS navigation systems and features an active radar seeker resistant to enemy jamming, capable of operating in various weather conditions.
Image credits: Israel Ministry of Defense
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