Georgia may have received another Spyder air defense missile system from Israel.

A Ukrainian An-124 was recorded loading Spyder air defense launchers in Tel Aviv, then tracked to Tbilisi, according to publicly available flight data and imagery, and neither Israel nor Georgia has confirmed the transfer.

According to Militarnyi on December 1, 2025, a Ukrainian An-124 Ruslan heavy transport aircraft could have transferred three launchers of the Israeli Spyder surface-to-air missile system from Israel to Georgia, marking an unusual and previously unannounced transfer of air defense systems in the Caucasus. The flight attracted attention because Georgia or Rafael had not publicly announced any new acquisition of Spyder systems or related upgrades. The movement of this cargo raised questions due to the lack of official statements from the countries involved, despite the visibility of the aircraft and the equipment during loading operations.
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A Ukrainian An-124 was recorded loading Spyder air defense launchers in Tel Aviv, then tracked to Tbilisi, according to publicly available flight data and imagery, and neither Israel nor Georgia has confirmed the transfer. (Picture source: X/Arab-Military)

The operation first drew notice when users on the social network X identified an unusual route taken by a Ukrainian An-124 that departed from Israel and travelled to Georgia, and began sharing footage of the loading process at Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv. The X account Arab-Military published a video showing a truck being backed into the cargo bay of the Ruslan, first thought to be a Patriot system, while subsequent photographs taken from the airport terminal depicted three Spyder launchers on 6x6 wheeled chassis positioned for loading into the aircraft. Civil aviation monitoring platforms, using data such as that compiled by ADS-B Exchange, tracked the aircraft’s departure from Ben Gurion, its route across the Eastern Mediterranean and the Black Sea region, and its final landing at Tbilisi International Airport on November 28, 2025, confirming that the cargo might have indeed been delivered to Georgia. A separate earlier reporting noted an An-124 that took off from Kyiv and landed in Leipzig on July 11, 2025, underlining that Ukrainian Ruslan aircraft have been active in transporting various types of sensitive and sometimes unexpected military cargo across Europe in recent months. The absence of official confirmation left the exact purpose of the recent transfers open to interpretation.

Georgia’s association with the Spyder air defense system dates to 2008, when it acquired one battery of the Spyder-SR variant from Rafael. The Spyder-SR uses Python 5 and Derby missiles adapted from air-to-air roles to surface-to-air interceptors. The system is designed to counter aircraft, bombers, drones, cruise missiles, and precision-guided weapons at ranges of up to 20 km. It is mounted on a truck chassis to be able to protect fixed sites and maneuvering units in all weather conditions. In March 2020, information appeared indicating that Georgia planned a full overhaul and upgrade of its existing systems. Unconfirmed indications suggested a possible upgrade of Spyder-SR to Spyder-MR, potentially extending the interception range to 40 km. No description of the scope of the modernization was made public. No public announcement had indicated the procurement of new air defense systems before the appearance of the transported launchers.

The imagery of the transported vehicles showed launchers mounted on 6x6 wheeled chassis, consistent with configurations used by Spyder-SR and Spyder-MR. Longer range variants such as Spyder-LR and Spyder-ER typically rely on 8x8 platforms due to the requirements of booster-equipped interceptors. The presence of a 6x6 chassis, therefore, suggested that the equipment could have been related to SR or MR models rather than extended range versions. The images matched the general structure of distributed Spyder batteries composed of command and control vehicles, radar vehicles, firing units, and resupply platforms. The system’s elements can be dispersed and connected by wireless links across several kilometers. Each firing unit can carry four missiles for the SR version or eight missiles for the MR version. Deployment times of such units typically allow operational readiness within minutes after arrival at a firing position. The lack of an official explanation left open the possibility of refurbishment, replacement, upgrade, or acquisition.

The Spyder system family originated from work undertaken by Rafael and Israel Aerospace Industries, resulting in the Spyder-SR and Spyder-MR variants initially introduced in the mid-2000s. Python 5 interceptors include dual-band imaging infrared and CCD seekers, while Derby and I-Derby ER interceptors use active radar and two-pulse rocket motors. All missiles in the family can reach speeds of up to Mach 4, with warheads measuring approximately 11 kg for Python 5 and 23 kg for Derby. Spyder-SR provides an interception envelope of roughly 1 to 15 km in range and 20 m to 9,000 m in altitude. Spyder-MR extends these figures to approximately 35 to 50 km in range and up to 16 km in altitude. Newer configurations, such as Spyder-ER and Spyder-LR, can reach ranges up to 80 km and even 160 km. These systems employ radar sensors like EL/M-2106 ATAR or EL/M-2084 MMR. The family is designed for rapid multi-target engagements under all weather conditions.

A counter-tactical ballistic missile (counter-TBM) upgrade announced in 2023 adapted Derby LR missiles and modified fire control algorithms. The Spyder All-in-One configuration integrates radar, electro-optical sensors, command and control, and up to eight interceptors on a single 8x8 vehicle. This variant supports search-on-the-move and fire-on-the-halt operations. It transitions from movement to combat readiness within approximately three minutes. The Hebrew language section noted that Israel had introduced Spyder during the Iron Swords conflict for counter-UAV roles. Georgia’s earlier deliveries from Israel included Aerostar UAVs, Hermes-450 UAVs, LAR-160 rocket launchers, Python 5 missiles, and Wolf armored personnel carriers, forming a broader framework of military cooperation. Deliveries recorded between 2005 and 2009 showed multiple categories of equipment adopted by Georgian forces. The Spyder systems have been selected or operated by countries such as Singapore, India, Vietnam, Peru, Azerbaijan, Ethiopia, the Czech Republic, the Philippines, Morocco, and the United Arab Emirates. Kenya and Romania were also linked to financing or selection processes for Spyder-based programs. In India, deliveries included 18 Spyder-MR batteries and large quantities of Python 5 and Derby missiles.

Written by Jérôme Brahy

Jérôme Brahy is a defense analyst and documentalist at Army Recognition. He specializes in naval modernization, aviation, drones, armored vehicles, and artillery, with a focus on strategic developments in the United States, China, Ukraine, Russia, Türkiye, and Belgium. His analyses go beyond the facts, providing context, identifying key actors, and explaining why defense news matters on a global scale.