(DRAFT) ROCKS - Israel's next-generation extended stand-off air-to-surface missile

gfdsa_killer · December 11, 2025, 9:24pm

History:
The ROCKS missile was developed by Rafael Advanced Defense Systems as a next-generation for air-to-surface stand-off missile to strike deep targets in defended and GPS denied territory. Its design incorporate a mix of Rafael’s Popeye and SPICE precision guidance kits, also with the base of the BLACK SPARROW body and engine.

It was first unveiled in February 2019, during Aero India Air Show, in Bengaluru (India). No further information of its development.

Tests:
During Aereo India 2019, Rafael stated the missile was succesfully tested on Israeli F-16I Sufa jets. Also pictures on the Rafael website show the F-16I Sufa jets carrying the ROCKS missile (2 total, 1 by each wing in the outer pillons).

The missile was also fire tested by the Indian Air Force in April 2024 (Crystal Maze II by Indian designation), being carryied by Indian Su-30MKI jets in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

Combat history:
Israel has not officially acknowledged using the ROCKS missile in combat missions (only tests), but multiple sources states that the missile was used against an Iranian S-300 air defense radar site during the Israel-Iran conflict in 2024. Once again, this is not official information and stays at mere speculation.

Design:

Specifications:
The ROCKS missile its based on the BLACK SPARROW missile, so it shares the same engine and body (except the warhead). All the “(aprox)” its based on the information of the BLACK SPARROW, because Rafael didn’t specifically stated the lenght, weight or diameter of the ROCKS.

Lenght: 4.9 m (aprox)
Diameter: 530 mm (aprox)
Warhead Lenght: 1.2 m
Warhead diameter: 500 mm
Body weight: 1,275 kg (aprox)
Warheads weight: 500 / 250 / 125 kg (Blast-fragmentation or Penetration)
Max. Speed: Supersonic (estimated Mach 3)
Engine: Single-stage solid-propellant rocket motor
Max. range: 250 km (for its heaviest warhead 500 kg)
Guidance: INS/GPS (mid phase) and Electro-Optical seeker (terminal phase). With an option to incorporate an anti-radiation homing seeker.
Circular error probable: 3 m