The German decision is a result of the Ukraine war. Late last year the Germans asked Israel to get the Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) Arrow 3 system that is designed to intercept ballistic missiles.
The Israeli defence ministry approved the sale and negotiations are underway.
Now the decision to invest 17 billion euros in upgrading the German capability to protect itself from other missile threats not only ballistic has opened the market for Israeli companies.
Israeli defence sources said that Germany’s plan includes the upgrade of its Patriot air defence systems. This plan will enable Israel to offer some of the very advanced radars that are part of the Israeli three-tiered air defence systems that combine the IAI Arrow 2 and 3, the Rafael David’s Sling and Iron Dome.
The Israeli sources said that the Israeli operational experience in using the radars and other sensors that make the Israeli interceptors so effective can help the Germans in their plan to build a more effective missile defence system.
The Elta (IAI subsidiary) EL/M 2084 Super Green Pine long range radar created great interest in Germany even before the Ukraine war, which resulted in a huge investment in advanced air defences.
The EL/M 2084 is part of the Arrow 3 system, but the Germans may decide to procure variants of this version based on the Israeli company’s very advanced radar technologies.
Industry sources said that the best way to get part of the big budget allocated by the German government is to join forces with German companies that will be the main contractors of every part of the major plan.
“The Germans are well acquainted with the Israel technology and without any doubt are interested in integrating Israeli radars, optical sensors and SIGINT systems with their air defence systems whether new or upgraded,” one of the sources said.
The Germans are expected to add the locally made IRIS-T to its arsenal of air defence systems.
Sources here sad that the Israeli offer includes the needed adaptation that will allow the integration of the Rafael David’s Sling into the German Patriot systems. The David’s Sling Stunner kinetic kill interceptor has an operational range of 40-300 km.
US company Raytheon, Rafael’s’ partner in the David’s Sling program has developed a version of the Stunner that can be integrated in US air defence systems.
The Israeli defence sources said that Raytheon is expected to offer this version, the Sky Ceptor to the Germans . The fact that an American company is a partner of Rafael may according to the sources facilitate the sale of David’s Sling interceptors to Germany.
IAI and Rafael were asked to comment and only said that they will act according to the Israeli ministry of defence export policy.
IAI will offer its Barak MX and Rafael its Spyder system.
