“The war in Ukraine and the massive rocket and missile strikes against Israel underscore the critical importance of mature, proven, and effective air defence systems for national defence in an increasingly unstable world,” said Ariel Karo, Executive Vice President of Marketing at Rafael, speaking to Defence Industry Europe at the BSDA exhibition.
“The solutions Rafael offers to Romania and other NATO eastern flank countries have proven their worth by intercepting thousands of aerial threats, including cruise missiles, ballistic missiles, drones, and rockets,” Karo added.
At BSDA, Rafael showcased a range of its state-of-the-art interceptors, including the SkyCeptor missile. This interceptor, designed for the David’s Sling long-range air and missile defence system, demonstrated its high effectiveness for the first time in May 2023 when it intercepted a heavy rocket launched from Gaza towards Tel Aviv.
Since October 7, 2023, David’s Sling has been regularly used by the Israel Defence Forces to protect Israeli cities and other high-value assets.
In November 2023, NATO member Finland contracted the David’s Sling system.
“SkyCeptor is our proposal for the Romanian Armed Forces as a low-cost interceptor for its PATRIOT air defence system. It could serve as an alternative missile for intercepting various aerial threats when the use of the PAC-3 MSE interceptor is not necessary,” Karo stated.
During the BSDA exhibition, Rafael also presented the Python-5 and Derby ER missiles, key components of the SPYDER short-range air defence system. The newest iteration of this system, SPYDER All-in-One (AiO), was exhibited in Bucharest.
“SPYDER All-in-One is a mobile air defence system mounted on an 8×8 wheeled vehicle. It provides highly effective defence capabilities against fixed and rotary-wing aircraft, UAVs, cruise missiles, and precision-guided munitions. An important feature of this system is its radar, designed for detecting drones,” Karo explained.
Additionally, Rafael unveiled the Iron Lance interceptor for the first time at BSDA. This is an export version of the Tamir missile used in the Iron Dome air defence system.
“Iron Lance incorporates enhancements developed from operational insights gained with the Iron Dome system. It is an incredibly effective system, boasting a success rate of over 90%,” Karo added.
