The bomb that lets pilots 'drive' a missile from the cockpit

Wars & Conflicts · Published 17 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Modern warfare often relies on automated systems, but some of the most precise strikes still require a human touch. The SPICE guided bomb kit allows a weapon systems officer to see through the eyes of a falling bomb and manually steer it toward a target with near-perfect accuracy.

Developed by Israel's Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, the SPICE (Smart, Precise Impact, Cost-Effective) system is designed to convert standard unguided bombs into precision-guided munitions. Achieving initial operational capability in 2003 with the Israeli Air Force, it combines satellite guidance with electro-optical sensors. This dual approach allows the weapon to engage camouflaged targets via GPS/INS or navigate through visual obstructions using CCD and infrared image matching.

One of its most sophisticated features is 'man-in-the-loop' guidance. Through a data link between the aircraft's pylon and the cockpit, a weapon systems officer can view a live TV/IR feed from the bomb's seeker. Using a specialized controller, a skilled operator can manually guide the munition to its target. While this limits the pilot to guiding only one bomb at a time, it is considered potentially the most accurate method for air-dropped munitions today, offering no measurable miss distance.

The system offers significant tactical advantages in 'information warfare' environments. It can store up to 100 pre-flight target images and switch guidance modes automatically if a target becomes obscured by smoke or moves unexpectedly. Additionally, its 12 control surfaces provide a glide range of about 60 kilometers for the Spice 2000 variant, allowing aircraft to strike from outside the reach of many short- and medium-range air defense systems while avoiding the high costs of propelled missiles.

The technology has seen significant international adoption. In February 2019, the Indian Air Force used Spice 2000 munitions against a training camp in Pakistan. Furthermore, India's Defence Acquisition Council cleared the procurement of between 300 and 1,000 additional Spice-1000 munitions in December 2025 for an estimated $8.7 billion.

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