The German Navy has carried out two operational firing trials involving Israel Aerospace Industries’ (IAI) Naval Lora ballistic missile, moving the system closer to possible adoption by Germany. If eventually introduced into service, the missile would provide the German fleet with a long-range strike capability extending to 430 kilometers (267 miles). This would give it more than twice the range of any other naval missile currently operated by Germany. The trials involved launching the missile from an operational German naval vessel equipped with a Naval Lora command trailer and launcher. German media subsequently identified the ship as Sachsen-Anhalt, a Type 125 frigate. The activity was conducted as part of the German Navy’s Operational Experimentation initiative, which is designed to enable rapid evaluation of emerging military technologies under realistic operational conditions. Systems previously tested through the initiative, including IAI’s BlueWhale underwater system, have subsequently progressed into regular naval service. Naval Lora is a maritime adaptation of the operational Lora missile and is intended to provide precision-strike capabilities against targets on land or at sea. Its dedicated naval configuration incorporates a long-range ballistic missile, launcher, and command-and-control architecture. The missile carries a high-explosive warhead and is reported to achieve a circular error probability of 10 meters (33 feet) across its operational range. According to IAI, Naval Lora combines Global Navigation Satellite System and Inertial Navigation System-based navigation technologies. The missile can reportedly be launched from unprepared positions within minutes, allowing operators to respond rapidly to emerging targets. IAI also states that targets within the missile’s range can be engaged within 10 minutes of the launch decision.
