The LORA (Long Range Artillery) is a short-range, road-mobile, ground and sea-launched solid fueled ballistic missile developed and operated by Israel. It has a range of 280 km.

LORA Development

According to reports in 2005, the LORA was the result of a collaboration between Israel Aerospace Industries, MLM Division, and IMI. ¹ The missile was first publicly shown in 2006 at the Eurosatory exposition and then officially displayed in 2007 and 2011 at the Paris Air Show. ²

LORA Specifications

According to Israel Aerospace Industries, the missile’s manufacturer, the LORA has a diameter of 0.624 m and a length of 5.2 m, with a launch weight of approximately 1,600 kg. ³ It can carry a payload of up to 600 kg, and can deploy a single HE warhead or submunitions. ⁴ It uses Inertial Navigation System/Global Positioning System and TV for terminal guidance, with possible inflight maneuvering capability. The missile has a maximum range of 280 km and an accuracy of 10 m CEP. ⁵

The missiles are carried in quadruple packs by ships, or by 6 x 6 vehicles. When kept inside hermetically sealed containers, the missiles can have a shelf life of 7 years. ⁶

Service History

The missile was reportedly test fired in November 2003, March 2004, and in 2006. It is believed to have entered service in Israel in 2007. ⁷ In June 2017, Israel test-fired a LORA again from the deck of a container ship.

The LORA missile is known to be deployed in Azerbaijan’s Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic as of May 2018. ⁸ The  Ministry of Defense of Azerbaijan announced on June 11, 2018, the creation of a new Missile Troops unit to operate the LORA and other missiles deployed at a newly built facility. ⁹ Azerbaijan acquired the LORA missile system in a recent military build up as a part of its ongoing conflict with Armenia over the Nagorno-Karbakh or Artsakh territory. ¹⁰ The Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Artsakh reportedly identified Azerbaijani troops moving LORA missile systems along the contact line in a video recorded on June 12, 2018. ¹¹

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1. James O’Halloran, IHS Jane’s Weapons: Strategic 2015-2016, 2015, (United Kingdom: IHS), 54.
2. “Lora,” Military Today,  2017, http://www.military-today.com/missiles/lora.htm.
3. Israel Aerospace Industries, “LORA,” 2016, http://www.iai.co.il/2013/16147-36447-en/Business_Areas_Military_Land_PrecisionStrike.aspx.
4. , “LORA (Long Range Artillery Rocket),” Global Security.org, 2016, http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/israel/lora.htm.
5. O’Halloran, 54.
6. Israel Aerospace Industries.
7. O’Halloran, 54.
8. “Long-range missiles deployed in Azerbaijan’s Nakhchivan can destroy any enemy military target- Ilham Aliyev |PHOTOS, UPDATED” Azerbaijani Vision, 2018, https://en.azvision.az/news/86799/long-range-missiles-deployed-in-azerbaijan%E2%80%99s-nakhchivan-can-destroy-any-enemy-military-target-ilham-aliyev-%7Cphotos,-updated.html.
9. “President Ilham Aliyev inaugurates Defense Ministry’s military unit- UPDATED” Azeri News Agency, 2018, http://en.apa.az/azerbaijan-military/azerbaijan-army-azerbaijani-armed-forces/azerbaijani-president-attends-opening-of-new-military-camp-of-defense-ministry-s-missile-troops.html.
10. “Nagorno-Karabakh Profile” BBC News, 2016, https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-18270325.
11. “Azerbaijan continues mobilizing troops and military equipment along contact line” Artsakh Press, 2018, https://artsakhpress.am/eng/news/88067/.