Israel successfully launched the Ofek 19 Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) advanced observation satellite into space on the night of Sept. 2, a move designed to enhance the nation’s intelligence-gathering capabilities against enemies throughout the Middle East.
The launch, conducted by the Ministry of Defense and Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), comes as the Israeli defense establishment moves to expand its foothold in space, a domain whose critical importance was proven during the “Rising Lion” war with Iran in June this year.
The role of satellites and particularly radar satellites in that conflict was critical. During the 12-day operation, Israel’s space assets captured over 12,000 satellite images across Iranian territory, with hundreds of thousands of square kilometers (miles) surveilled, and provided the Israel Defense Forces with hundreds of targets without exposing personnel to danger in the intelligence gathering process. This enabled rapid target engagement, according to defense sources.
A Western observer told JNS, “The advantage of the radar is that it is good both day and night, in clouds, in all weather, and it sees things that are not seen in optics [camera payloads].”
He noted that IAI’s CEO had revealed that the resolution of Israel’s SAR satellites is better than half a meter (about 20 inches).
The observer provided historical and technical context for the launch, noting that Israel’s first Ofek satellite was launched in September 1988, 37 years ago. Israel launches its satellites westwards to avoid flying over and dropping rocket stages on populated areas. While this requires more energy than an eastward launch, it is a safety necessity.
The source noted that the Shavit launcher is built by IAI’s Missiles and Space Group, while IAI’s Elta Group built the advanced SAR payload. The rocket launch engines are manufactured by Israeli defense companies Rafael and Tomer.
While Ofek 19 represents the cutting edge of current technology, this launch also marks the end of an era.
“This is the last launch of the Shavit launcher. The next generation of launchers is in development,” the observer revealed. “There is a larger launcher that Israel intends for the next generation of satellites, which will be almost twice as heavy as the current ones.”
This move towards larger, more capable satellites is part of a two-pronged, hybrid approach to maintaining space superiority. “There is a pincer movement,” the observer explained. “One arm moves up to heavier satellites that will be launched in the coming years. The other arm moves down.”
He noted that other Israeli defense companies, like Elbit and Rafael, are developing small satellites that are launched commercially, often as piggyback payloads on commercial rockets.
“If you have many small satellites, you can improve your revisit rate [the rate that an area in enemy territory can be observed] and achieve a situation of coverage every few hours, or even every quarter of an hour, depending on the number of satellites,” he said.
While these smaller satellites may not have the same high resolution as the large Ofek platforms, they provide the persistent coverage needed for near-real-time intelligence. “The solution is a hybridization of the two channels,” the observer concluded.
Ofek 19 was launched at 10:30 p.m. from a test site in central Israel aboard a three-stage launcher called Shavit. According to the Defense Ministry, the satellite successfully entered its orbit, began transmitting data, and is currently undergoing a series of tests by engineers from the ministry’s Directorate of Defense Research and Development (DDR&D) and IAI’s Space Division. Once fully commissioned, it will be handed over to Unit 9900, the IDF’s visual and geospatial intelligence unit.
Ofek 19 is the latest in a long line of advanced Israeli observation satellites and it specifically enhances Israel’s all-weather, day-and-night intelligence-gathering capabilities through its radar technology.
According to the official Israel Aerospace Industries statement, the Ofek 19’s SAR payload, produced by IAI’s ELTA Group, is what allows it to provide crucial intelligence regardless of visibility conditions, a capability deemed by IAI CEO, Boaz Levy, as “essential now more than ever.”
Defense Minister Israel Katz stated, “Israel, once again, demonstrates its supremacy as one of the world’s leading technological and defense powers. Launching the Ofek 19 satellite into space represents another building block in Israel’s power projection on the global stage, reflecting the advanced capabilities of the Ministry, the IDF and IAI.”
Defense Minister Director General Maj. Gen. (res.) Amir Baram directly linked the launch to the lessons of the recent war.
“The Swords of Iron War, particularly Operation Rising Lion, demonstrated that modern warfare extends into space. Expanding and strengthening our foothold in space is a central objective in the Ministry’s strategy,” he said. “In the coming decade, we will invest billions in deploying a satellite constellation that will allow us to maintain persistent, simultaneous surveillance of any point throughout the Middle East.”
