23 Nations Using Israeli Spike Missiles Convene in Cyprus

Approximately 200 representatives from 23 countries gathered in Larnaca, Cyprus, for an annual user club meeting focused on the Israeli-developed Spike missile family. Four new nations joined the club in the past year, bringing the total number of countries using the Spike missiles, manufactured by Rafael, to 48 worldwide. To date, around 40,000 Spike missiles have been produced.

The user club, established in 2003, serves as a forum for exchanging operational knowledge and experience among customers and operators. Participants share lessons learned from the field and discuss maintenance and training practices. Many attendees were interested in updates on the Spike's deployment by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) in Lebanon and its use in operations against Iran, particularly after images emerged of Spike launchers used by Mossad forces to destroy Iranian air defense systems.

During the three-day event, Rafael showcased the new Spike LR (long-range) missile and the loitering munition system, Spike NL, alongside new operational concepts for other Spike variants across land, air, and sea platforms. The meeting included a "Country Day" for sharing operational experience, an "Industry Day" focusing on current capabilities and future developments, and an international competition where nine national Spike teams competed in knowledge and skill tests, concluding with live firing of the Spike SR.

Ran Kaplan, Head of the Precision Tactical Weapon Systems Directorate at Rafael, stated that the Spike family continues to evolve with its users, integrating decades of operational experience with ongoing technological innovation. He highlighted the introduction of the Spike NL loitering munition as a step to expand the family's capabilities in response to changing battlefield challenges. Kaplan also noted Rafael and EuroSpike's investment in expanding production capacity and strengthening supply chains and industrial cooperation.

Lieutenant General Neofytos Pachoulides, Deputy Chief of the Cyprus National Guard, commented that the meeting allows participants to learn from other military forces, apply relevant lessons to their tactical needs, and establish a feedback mechanism to improve training, logistics, and future capability development.