Jerusalem: In the nation's largest-ever military deal worth $3.5 billion, Israel claimed that the United States on Thursday approved the sale of the Arrow 3 hypersonic missile defence system to Germany.
Israel and the United States developed and jointly produced the Arrow 3 system, an interceptor intended to destroy ballistic missiles above the Earth's atmosphere.
In a statement, the Israeli defence ministry claimed that the US State Department had informed it that Germany had been given the go-ahead to purchase the Arrow 3 system by the US government.
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Senior representatives from the German and Israeli defence ministries, along with a $600 million down payment, would sign a letter of commitment to the agreement, according to the ministry.
"With its exceptional long-range interception capabilities, operating at high altitudes above the atmosphere, (the Arrow 3) stands as the top interceptor of its kind," the statement read.
The system uses a hit-to-kill strategy to stop incoming threats. According to the statement's citation of Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, the agreement is "the largest in Israel's history."
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This is a significant choice that will help Israel's economy and force development, he said.
Every Jew finds it particularly significant that Germany is acquiring Israeli defence capabilities.
The Arrow 3 system can intercept ballistic missiles launched from up to 2,400 kilometres away, claims Israeli manufacturer IAI. Israel has used the system to defend itself against attacks from Iran and Syria since its initial deployment in an Israeli air force base in 2017.
Following approval by the German and Israeli parliaments, the deal's final contract is anticipated to be signed by the end of 2023, according to the Israeli defence ministry.
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Berlin anticipates receiving the Arrow 3 system in the fourth quarter of 2025. Following Russia's ceaseless missile attacks on Ukraine, the German government has spearheaded efforts to strengthen NATO's air defences in Europe and urged allies to purchase deterrence systems collectively.
The so-called European Sky Shield initiative currently has more than a dozen European nations as members.