The IAI Harpy is an Israeli anti-radiation loitering munition built to autonomously hunt and destroy emitting radar and air-defense targets. IAI describes it as the world's first operational anti-radiation loitering munition, launched from ground or naval canisters for long-endurance SEAD and DEAD missions.
Azerbaijani forces fielded Israeli Harpy-family loitering munitions in the Nagorno-Karabakh fighting; public sources often identify 2020 combat use as Harop or Harpy-2, so this entry treats the original Harpy as the anti-radiation family baseline rather than claiming every strike used the first-generation variant.
Harpy and Harop share IAI's canister-launch loitering-munition architecture, which makes Harop the closest cataloged comparison for the family line.
| Compatible item | Item type | Compatibility evidence |
|---|---|---|
 | Related loitering-munition family member | IAI's Harpy and Harop pages both describe canister launch from land or naval platforms, and Harpy-family reporting in Nagorno-Karabakh often identifies the later Harop/Harpy-2 variant. Sources: Harpy, HAROP Advanced Loitering Munition System, The Air and Missile War in Nagorno-Karabakh |
Air University says the People's Liberation Army purchased Harpy loitering munitions from Israel in 1994, beginning the system's documented Chinese service.
Sources: The PLA's Unmanned Aerial Systems
FlightGlobal reported that Washington demanded Israel scrap a planned upgrade to China's Harpy inventory, turning the sale into a diplomatic dispute.
Sources: USA and Israel in crisis over China Harpy deal
The Washington Post reported that Israel agreed to cancel the Harpy-related China arms deal under U.S. pressure and to tighten review of future weapons transactions.
Sources: Israel Set to End China Arms Deal Under U.S. Pressure
Secondary reporting on the 2020 fighting said Azerbaijan fielded Israeli Harpy-family loitering munitions; public accounts often name Harop or Harpy-2 for the combat variant, so the page keeps Harpy as the family baseline.
Sources: Have Loitering Munitions Made Tanks Obsolete?, Defending Taiwan: Lessons from the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh War, The Air and Missile War in Nagorno-Karabakh
Harpy's public paper trail is unusually clear for an early loitering munition: it appears in Chinese procurement history, a U.S.-driven export dispute, and later Nagorno-Karabakh reporting.
| Year | Documented context | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 1994 | The People's Liberation Army purchased Harpy loitering munitions from Israel. | The PLA's Unmanned Aerial Systems |
| 2005 | FlightGlobal reported a U.S. demand that Israel scrap a Harpy upgrade for China, and The Washington Post later reported the deal was cancelled under U.S. pressure. | USA and Israel in crisis over China Harpy deal; Israel Set to End China Arms Deal Under U.S. Pressure |
| 2020 | Secondary reporting on Nagorno-Karabakh described Azerbaijani use of Harpy-family loitering munitions, often naming Harop or Harpy-2 for the combat variant. | Have Loitering Munitions Made Tanks Obsolete?; Defending Taiwan: Lessons from the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh War |
