Israel's IAI unveils drone-killer that rams its targets, without a warhead

Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) on Monday presented HawkGuard, a new system designed to counter attack drones, at the AUSA 2026 defense exhibition in Washington.

The announcement is the latest in a string of similar launches in recent months, after Hezbollah inflicted significant damage on Israeli forces with kamikaze drones. Since Saturday, the Israeli military has twice triggered alerts over suspected aerial infiltrations on its northern border.

HawkGuard launches interceptor drones that neutralize their target by direct collision, without an explosive warhead, several Israeli media outlets reported. 

It is intended to protect armored vehicles, moving forces and strategic infrastructure and, according to its maker, can handle multiple threats with a low-cost interception capability.

The system combines a radar, electro-optical sensors and an artificial-intelligence-based command-and-control system to detect, track and intercept aerial threats. The company says HawkGuard can deal with several threats at once, and stresses that each interception costs far less than other solutions.

IAI did not say whether the system has entered operational service or has been bought by any military. The company is Israel's main maker of aerial and aeronautical systems and is majority state-owned.

The unveiling comes as Israel works to counter Hezbollah's fiber-optic drones, whose use in southern Lebanon has tested the army's defenses. Tethered to their operator by a cable, the devices resist conventional electronic jamming. For several months, Israel has been exploring a range of answers, from drones fitted with nets to laser systems and AI-enabled radars.