At AUSA 2025, Israel’s Rafael presented its L-SPIKE 4X, the newest member of the SPIKE family, a 6th Generation development evolving the mission profile of SPIKE NLOS (Non-Line-of-Sight) adding loitering capability and improved survivability through low signature.

The L-SPIKE 4X is being proposed to the US Army as a solution within the “Launched Effects” family of effects which, beginning in FY 2026, is to be a keystone of force modernisation.

The weapon brings the lethality and precision of a SPIKE missile together with loitering persistence, all with jet-propelled speed.

The L-SPIKE 4X can reach ranges of 40 km with a flight time of 5 minutes, carrying tandem HEAT warheads for anti-armour effect or more multi-purpose warhead solutions. It can loiter for 25 minutes at its maximum range. The weapon in its canister weights 50 kg.

The images show a weapon which preserves the large X-wings of the SPIKE NLOS but with a redesigned, more “angular” and less observable fuselage with a ventral air intake and EO/IR sensor gimbal on the tip. The weapon retains compatibility with the Multi-Platform Launcher developed for the SPIKE NLOS, which means it could be easily rolled out to a variety of small vehicles, boats and also helicopters: it is worth remembering that the US Army has acquired a limited number of SPIKE NLOS fits for its AH-64 APACHE gunships as a long-range precision strike capability.

The same launcher platform could simultaneously operate with the 2 systems, exploiting their complementary capabilities. This is particularly important and beneficial for the prospects of the 4X because the SPIKE NLOS has recently been down Selected for the US Army’s M-LRPSM (Mobile Long Range Precision Strike Missile) project, which aims to equip Infantry (prospective Mobile) Brigade Combat Teams (IBCT).

SPIKE NLOS’s down selection comes on the back of a successful trial conducted by Lockheed Martin which has integrated the SPIKE NLOS missile on an “Infantry Brigade Combat Team -equivalent vehicle” and fired it successfully at Dugway Proving Ground, Utah, and hitting 3 targets, including 2 hidden from view.

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