US and Israel Agree on Selling Missile Defense System to Finland

The US has approved a $345 million procurement agreement under which Israel will sell “David’s Sling,” an air defense system the two nations developed together, to Finland, the Israeli Ministry of Defense announced on Thursday.

Designed by Raytheon Technologies Cooperation, an aerospace and defense conglomerate based in Virginia, and Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, a defense technology company headquartered in Haifa, “David’s Sling” is a hit-to-kill missile-interceptor capable of destroying long-range rockets, ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, drones, and other projectiles. It was first tested in the Negev Desert in 2015, demonstrating, DefenseNews reported at the time, precision and power sufficient to neutralize “long-range targets with heavy warheads capable of sustaining very big collateral damage” with little collateral damage.

“The approval granted by the US government today for the sale of the David’s Sling, a co-developed system by Israel and the United States, marks a significant step towards the realization of a historic agreement between Israel and Finland,” Israeli defense minister Yoav Gallant said. “Thanks to groundbreaking technologies developed by the defense industry’s brightest minds such as David’s Sling, we are able to bolster our ties with countries around the world, strengthen our security, and enhance Israel’s global position.”

Today, David’s Sling is, alongside the Iron Dome, currently operable in Israel’s air defense systems and was, according to Reuters, first used in May to defend Israeli citizens and infrastructure from rockets fired by terrorists based in Gaza.

“We welcome the American approval for the sale of ‘David’s Sling’ system to Finland and thank you the Israeli Ministry of Defense for promoting and supporting the project,” Rafael chairman Dr. Yuval Steinitz said. “The advanced ‘David’s Sling’ system has drawn great interest in the world due to its unique, advanced capabilities and we are very proud of its development. After already becoming operation in Israel, the system will significantly enhance Finland’s air defense capabilities and we anticipate more agreements in the future.”

According to the Israeli Ministry of Defense, David’s Sling — also known as Stunner — will be tailored to the Finnish government’s needs and specced with missile launchers and radar systems. It will also be incorporated into the country’s command and control systems. Finland first moved to purchase the technology after becoming a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in April, citing the need for “long-term development of Finland’s defense capability in a new security environment.”

Israel and the United States have a robust partnership for developing and trading defense technology.

In Sept. 2016, the two nations signed a $38 billion Memorandum of Understanding, which the outgoing Obama administration described as “the largest single pledge of military assistance in US history.” Under its terms, Israel will receive between 2019-2028 $33 billion in foreign military financing, a program that provides grants and loans for purchasing weapons and defense equipment produced by the US, and $500 million per annum in missile defense funding, both of which is aimed at maintaining Israel’s qualitative military edge in the Middle East.

Additionally, bilateral trade between the US and Israel totals nearly $50 billion per-year. In Jan. 2021, the US Department of State said Israel’s security is “a long-standing cornerstone of US foreign policy” and that “the unbreakable bond between our two countries has never been stronger.”

Follow Dion J. Pierre @DionJPierre.

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