Israel, Germany move toward 2025 delivery of Arrow missile defense system

Progress comes amidst German ban on sales of arms to Israel

By YONAH JEREMY BOB NOVEMBER 10, 2024 19:24 Updated: NOVEMBER 10, 2024 19:29

The Arrow 3 air defense system, used for the first time on November 9, 2023, to intercept a missile fired at Eilat by Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen. (photo credit: MINISTRY OF DEFENSE)

Israel and Germany announced on Sunday that they recently held joint meetings to get into the details of the actual delivery and deployment of the Arrow 3 missile defense system onto German soil later in 2025.This $3.6 billion deal will be the first time that the Arrow 3 will be deployed outside of Israel. Continued movement on the issue comes while on one hand, Berlin continues to buy weapons from Israel, while on the other hand, is now banning weapons sales to Jerusalem over the continued Israel-Hamas War.A Defense Ministry statement said “The professional meeting was held at Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), led by the Israel Missile Defense Organization (IMDO) at the Directorate of Defense Research & Development (DDR&D) of the IMDO. The meeting included two days of discussions with participation from Israeli defense industries, including IAI, Elbit Systems, and MBDA Deutschland GmbH.”

The Jerusalem Post has learned IMDO Director Mr. Moshe Patel, “Arrow 3” Project Head for Germany Col. Carsten Koepper, and IAI’s Missiles and Space Division Head Guy Barlev were the lead parties, while the discussions also included representatives from IAI’s MLM Division and Elta.

Further, the ministry said that the Arrow system, which includes the Arrow 2 and Arrow 3 interceptors, was developed in cooperation between Israel and the USA to counter long-range ballistic missile threats, with IAI as the prime contractor.

GERMAN BUNDESTAG Defense Committee members visit the Arrow 3 battery. (credit: ELENT)

Arrow 3's performance strengthened deal for German acquisition

Although the deal to provide the Arrow to Germany was signed in 2023, the strength of the deal was boosted twice by the system’s stellar performance in 2024.On April 13-14, the Arrow was instrumental in shooting down the vast majority of 120 ballistic missiles that Iran fired on Israel. On October 1, the Arrow did not shoot down as high a percentage of 180 Iranian ballistic missiles fired on Israel with reports that some dozens struck Nevatim Air Force Base and some also struck Tel Nof Air Force Base, but still was viewed as performing at a high level.Moreover, sources have indicated that Israel may have decided to “allow” certain ballistic missiles through to those locations once it had already evacuated them of pilots and aircraft.While both bases took on some significant damage, no pilots or aircraft were lost during the Iranian attack.

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The ministry said, “The IMDO at the DDR&D continues to lead the development and production of Israel’s aerial defense layers while strengthening ties and cooperation with international partners in missile defense and supporting Israeli defense industries.”The final agreement in a series of contracts for the deal was signed in November 2023, capping a process dating back years with a variety of delays from Israel, Germany, and the US – the latter of which had to approve the deal as a copartner with Jerusalem in producing the system.By September 2023, the deal seemed to be close to final when Defense Minister Yoav Gallant flew to Germany to sign a variety of critical documents, which moved the process forward. In November 2023, the ministry said, “The Arrow-3 missile defense system constitutes the forefront of global technology, designed to intercept exo-atmospheric ballistic missiles. The Arrow-3 system also carried out its first operational interception during the Swords of Iron Operation, successfully destroying a target launched towards Israel in the Red Sea region,” the ministry said.That statement had been referring to multiple uses of the Arrow to shoot down ballistic missiles fired by the Houthis of Yemen against Israel under orders by Iran as part of the current war against Hamas.According to the deal, the first Arrow-3 battery will be delivered to the German Ministry of Defense by the end of 2025, but there was some hint in the statement on Sunday that the delivery could happen earlier.The Arrow-3 system is codeveloped and coproduced by the IMDO within the ministry and the United States Missile Defense Agency (MDA).While IAI is the primary contractor for the weapon system’s development and production, the Arrow interceptors and radar detection system, Elbit Systems is responsible for the development of the command and control system, and Tomer and Rafael Advanced Systems are the main subcontractors for the development and production of the Arrow-3 interceptor.