In Israel, the Iron Dome and David’s Sling systems work in tandem with the Arrow 2/3 to protect its territory from barrages of all kinds.
This week, Germany officially received the first operational Arrow 3 system expected from Israel. According to media reports, the long-range missile shield was the crux of a staggering $4.6 billion deal between the two nations. In fact, the Arrow 3 procurement marks the largest defense export sale in Israel’s history. “This marks a significant step in implementing the defense export contract signed between the two nations approximately two years ago and is considered the largest defense export deal in Israel’s history,” the Israeli Ministry of Defense said.
“The Arrow system has protected the State of Israel at high percentages over the past two years, saving lives and preventing damage to bodies and property, enabling the [Israeli Defense Forces] to carry out its missions,” the head of the Israel Ministry of Defense’s Directorate of Defense Research and Development, Brig. Gen. (ret.) Daniel Gold, added. Serving as the top layer of Israel’s multitiered air defense strategy, the Arrow 3 system has more than proved its worth on multiple occasions. Notably, the cutting-edge system achieved its first-ever operational interception in Gaza just one month after Hamas launched its invasion back in October 2023.
About the Arrow 3 Missile Shield
The Arrow 3 missile shield was initially designed to be able to destroy ballistic missiles while they are outside of the atmosphere. In 2017, the air defense shield reached operational capacity with Israel’s Defense Forces as a joint US-Israeli missile defense interceptor. The impressive interceptor interfaces with the Arrow Weapon System, which is comprised of a launcher, battle management system, and ground-based radar. Based on its Arrow 2 predecessor, the Arrow 3 sports several key enhancements. The newer missile shield iteration is faster and larger than the Arrow 3, and can deploy a hit-to-kill energy system to take out threats in space. As detailed by the Center for Strategic and International Studies, the Arrow 3 missile “fits in a 21-inch vertical launch tube and has an estimated flyout range of up to 2,400 km. Arrow 3’s boosters and kill vehicle employ thrust vector control for maneuvering. The interceptor also includes a deployable rear flare for added aerodynamic stability.”
While the Arrow 3 is certainly unparalleled when it comes to ballistic missile defense, the system works best accompanied by other air defense measures. In Israel, the Iron Dome and David’s Sling systems work in tandem with the Arrow 2/3 to protect its territory from barrages of all kinds. Acting as the middle-tier layer in Israel’s tiered defense apparatus, the David’s Sling defense system was designed to be able to counter the threat of medium to long-range rockets with ranges between 43 and 155 miles. The Iron Dome, or the first tier, specializes in taking out short-range rockets and has been especially active in thwarting Hamas and Hezbollah-launched projectiles in recent years.
Germany’s interest in procuring the Arrow 3 system follows the European nation’s efforts to bolster its air defenses in response to Russia’s ongoing Ukraine invasion. In addition to the Arrow 3, Israel has sold its highly respected Trophy active protection system to Germany for its fleet of Leopard 2 main battle tanks.
About the Author: Maya Carlin
Maya Carlin, national security writer with The National Interest, is an analyst with the Center for Security Policy and a former Anna Sobol Levy Fellow at IDC Herzliya in Israel. She has over 1,000 articles published over the last several years on various defense issues. Carlin has bylines in many publications, including The National Interest, Jerusalem Post, and Times of Israel. You can follow her on Twitter: @MayaCarlin.
Image: DVIDS.
