Israel orders Elbit Systems’ Iron Sting precision mortars

JERUSALEM — Israel’s Ministry of Defense is acquiring over $220 million worth of Elbit Systems’ new Iron Sting precision-guided mortars, munitions used frequently in the war in Gaza as well as on Israel’s northern border against Hezbollah targets.

Director General of the Israel Ministry of Defense, Major-General (Res.) Eyal Zamir, signed the order for the 120mm mortars, the ministry said in a statement on Monday. Elbit said it was awarded the contract for approximately $190 million to “supply its Iron Sting laser and GPS-guided mortar munition to the Israeli Ministry of Defense.” (The discrepancy in the dollar amount is due to value-added tax, the Ministry clarified in a statement to Breaking Defense.)

The ministry said the mortars, which have “sophisticated laser and GPS guidance systems,” enable “precision targeting while minimizing collateral damage.”

“These advanced munitions represent a significant leap in the IDF’s ability to conduct operations in complex combat conditions and urban environments,” the ministry said. It noted that it has accelerated procurement of a number of “cutting-edge armaments” due to the war in Gaza.

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The Iron Sting consists of a 120mm mortar shell that can deploy guidance fins upon launch. It is modified to include the ability to receive data from a computer and can use GPS and a laser seeker information to direct itself to its target. Weighing 32 pounds, the mortar system has a range of 10 kilometers, where it can hit in one of multiple modes. “Iron Sting features a multi-mode fuse with Point Detonation (PD), Point Detonation Delay (PDD), and Proximity Sensor (PRX) operating modes,” Elbit noted in a statement.

Currently Iron Sting is launched from mortar tubes that are deployed from vehicles. The IDF uses Humvees and M113s with the mortar system. Elbit says it can be used this way on other four-by-four or similar vehicles.

“With the rise of military conflicts in urban environments, armed forces around the world demand accurate technologies that minimize collateral damage. Elbit Systems’ Iron Sting meets this critical need,” Yehuda (Udi) Vered, General Manager of Elbit Systems Land, said in a statement.

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An Elbit official, who requested they not be named for security reasons, told Breaking Defense that Iron Sting has gotten favorable reviews from the IDF in the field in the Gaza conflict because it can hit small targets and is “cost effective.” “You can use one Iron Sting instead of five to 10 normal rounds,” the official said.

The recent contract marks the first large-scale IDF contract for the system, but the official claimed there’s already “huge interest abroad.” “We have some contracts that we already have, and we are preparing ourselves for the future.”

Iron Sting was unveiled back in 2021 but was used operationally for the first time in October 2023, days after Hamas’s deadly Oct. 7 attack on Israeli military bases and border communities. The IDF has mentioned the use of the mortar frequently during the war in Gaza.

Up north, on Nov. 9, 2023 the IDF said forces “struck terror targets using artillery and the ‘Iron Sting’ guided mortar munition.” It was used several times against Hezbollah in this context.

In most IDF references to the use of the system in Gaza, it was deployed with the IDF’s 89th Commando Brigade. This unit fought alongside the 98 Division in battles in Khan Younis and other sectors. For instance, on Jan. 25 the IDF noted that “soldiers of the Egoz Unit identified three armed terrorists and launched a precision ‘Iron Sting.’” The Egoz is one of Israel’s several commando units. The system is being deployed with mortar battalions across the IDF, the Elbit official noted.