The Israeli-manufactured air defense system will be sold to Slovakia to add to its defense infrastructure.
The Defense Ministry announced on Monday that Israel finalized its third sale of the Barak MX air defense system, this time to Slovakia, for $700 million.
This sale of the Israel Aerospace Industries manufactured system, which is a variant of Rafael’s Iron Dome, can now be added to prior deals with Cyprus and Azerbaijan.
The Barak MX system is for shooting down shorter-range rockets and missiles, similar to Iron Dome, but the ministry said that it could also shoot down drones, cruise missiles, and at least some category of tactical ballistic missiles, though it was unclear what its utility would be against the full range of ballistic missile threats.
The Iron Dome has virtually no capability to shoot down ballistic missiles, which are usually fired from much further away than smaller rockets and often enter the Earth’s atmosphere before returning downward at much faster speeds and packing a much larger explosive.
Israel uses the Arrow 2 and 3 missile systems to shoot down ballistic missiles, given that they can strike such missiles at greater heights and distances away from Israel to have a better chance of avoiding shrapnel falling within the home front.
According to the ministry, “This landmark deal, orchestrated by the International Defense Cooperation Directorate of the IMOD (SIBAT), will further strengthen the bond between the two nations and enhance Slovakia’s defense capabilities.”
The ministry said, “The BARAK MX Integrated Air Defense System is designed to counter current and future aerial threats, including ballistic threats. Its operational success in Israel and globally underscores its reliability and effectiveness, making it a valuable addition to Slovakia’s defense infrastructure.”
© 2024, GDC. © GDC and www.globaldefensecorp.com. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to www.globaldefensecorp.com with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.
