Defense Ministry officials from Israel and Germany held a first working meeting at the Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) this week for the production of the Arrow 3 Weapon System for Germany.
Germany’s Bundestag approved the purchase, including an advance payment of approximately 600 million euros ($648.5 million), in June 2023.
The Arrow Weapon System (AWS), including Arrow 2 and Arrow 3 interceptors, was jointly developed by Israel and the United States for the interception of long-range ballistic missiles.
The deal, worth an estimated four billion euros and the largest arms deal in Israel’s history, was signed in late 2023 following US approval since American funding was involved in developing the Arrow 3 system.
Biggest Sale in Israel’s History: Germans Approve 4 billion Euros to Purchase Arrow 3
The system operated this year with great success against the barrage of Iranian missiles during its April 14 attack on Israel.
“Symbolically, this joint meeting was conducted during the week of the Israeli National Holocaust Remembrance Day,” Israel’s Defense Ministry said.
The meeting was led by the head of the Israel Missile Defense Organization (IMDO) which is part of the DDR&D within the Israeli Ministry of Defense; Moshe Patel, the head of the “Arrow 3” project for Germany; Colonel Carsten Koepper; and the head of Missiles and Space Division in the Israel Aerospace Industries, Guy Bar Lev.
Representatives of defense industries also participated in the meeting, including IAI MLM Division, IAI/ELTA, ELBIT Systems, and the German MBDA.
The United States Missile Defense Agency, which is not a party to the Arrow 3 sale, provided consultative support to IMDO.
“AWS is one of the most advanced systems against advanced threats and is based on the world’s top technologies,” the Defense Ministry noted.
“IMDO continues its efforts to develop and produce the Multi-Layered Missile Defense for the State of Israel while promoting international partnerships related to missile threats.”
