Israel to sell Arrow 3 defense to Germany -- Deutsche Welle

The United States on Thursday gave the green light for Israel to sell the Arrow 3 missile defense system to Germany, the Israel Defense Ministry said. The $3.3 billion (€3.2 billion) sale will be Israel's biggest-ever defense deal, the ministry said. The Arrow 3 system, developed jointly by Israeli and US missile defense agencies, is designed to intercept ballistic missiles above the Earth's atmosphere. Germany has said that it expects to take delivery of Arrow 3 by the fourth quarter of 2025. Berlin is seeking to boost its air defense capabilities as a reaction to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, which has ignited security fears throughout Europe. What is the Arrow 3 system? The missile defense system consists of a command post, radar devices, launching equipment and guided missiles. The system is the highest level of Israel's multilayer missile defense and can destroy attacking weapons up to an altitude of more than 100 kilometers (62 miles). Its missiles are fitted with detachable warheads that collide with the target. The high level of interception that it allows permits the safe destruction even of nuclear warheads and other non-conventional warheads. What happens now? According to a statement from the Israeli Defense Ministry, the purchase agreement must now signed by the Defense Ministries of the two countries and Israel Aerospace Industries, with the contract to be ready by the end of 2023. That contract will be preceded by a Letter of Commitment signed by Israel and Germany, with a $600 million initial payment, the statement said One Israeli defense official quoted by Reuters news agency said the system was expected to be fully operational in Germany by 2030. The German government has spearheaded the so-called European Sky Shield initiative, urging its allies to jointly purchase air defense systems in the wake of Russia's aggression against Ukraine. Almost 20 European countries have so far signed up.

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