Defense Ministries in the two nations and Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) are now holding advanced negotiations in Germany to draft a detailed agreement for the delivery.
By Erin Viner
The Israeli negotiation party is led by the the Ministry of Defense (IMoD) Missile Defense Organization IMDO) Director of Defense Research and Development (DDR&D) Moshe Patel.
Israel’s Arrow Weapon System (AWS) is designed to intercept exo-atmospheric missiles (outside of the earth’s atmosphere). It is the top layer of Jerusalem’s multi-layered defense array, that also includes the Iron Dome Defense System and David’s Sling Weapon System, with long-range missiles that destroy any non-conventional warheads at a safe altitude.
The IMoD, IMDO and the United States Missile Defense Agency (MDA) jointly developed the system. The primary contractor for the integration and development of the system is Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), working with additional Israeli and American defense industries.
Talks with the German Defense Ministry have been accelerated and the aim is to export the system in the near future, said the IMoD Spokesperson’s Office in a statement obtained by TV7.
As the AWS is jointly developed and produced with the United States, the defense export process is contingent upon the approval from Washington.
“The launch of advanced negotiations for the delivery of the strategic Arrow-3 system to Germany is an important milestone, which further strengthens the ties between our countries. We look forward to a fruitful negotiation process in the weeks ahead of us,” commented IMDO Head Patel.
IAI CEO Boaz Levy added, “We value the opportunity to share our capabilities with the partners and allies of the State of Israel. Within the framework of this agreement, we further deepen our security ties between Israel and Germany.”
Germany increased military spending following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
In a powerful address just days after Russia’s 24 February invasion of Ukraine, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz Chancellor Scholz announced that Berlin would sharply increase defense spending to more than 2% of its economic output, including the allocation of an addition 100 billion euros ($110 billion) into the security sector.
The head of the Bundestag’s parliamentary Defense Committee Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann said Germany must also prepare itself against high-flying ballistic missiles which enter space for part of their flight.
“Israel produces such a system, and it makes sense to not only look into different scenarios but also to potentially buy it as soon as possible,” she said while speaking to the German Welt television news channel.
Jerusalem previously signed a deal in February 2021 to supply its Trophy Active Protection System (APS) to Berlin.
The Israel Ministry of Defense and the German Federal Ministry of Defense have completed the first series of successful live fire tests of the Trophy Active Protection System (APS) on German soil.
A series of successful interception tests of the Trophy system integrated on the German Leopard 2 main battle tank were completed in November 2021.