APOGEE STAFF

Finland’s Ministry of Defence has agreed to purchase the David’s Sling long-range defense system for $345 million.

The agreement with Israel — announced a day after Finland joined NATO — represented the first export of David’s Sling, which was designed to shoot down aerial threats from ballistic missiles and aircraft to UAVs and cruise missiles. The deal was finalized in November 2023.

The new system will significantly enhance Finland’s ground-based air defenses. “The minimum flight altitude requirement of the system was set at 15,000 meters in the request for quotation,” the Ministry of Defence said in a statement.

This “acquisition will create a new capability for the Finnish Defence Forces to intercept targets at high altitude,” Finnish Minister of Defence Antti Kaikkonen said. “At the same time, we are continuing the ambitious and long-term development of Finland’s defence capability in a new security environment.”

David’s Sling was developed through a joint program involving the Israel Missile Defense Organization and the U.S. Missile Defense Agency, with Israel’s Rafael Advanced Defense Systems serving as the prime contractor, according to a report on the website C4ISRNET. Rafael makes Israel’s “Iron Dome” air defense system for defense against shorter-range threats.

The agreement included missile interceptors, missile launchers and radar systems.

The Finnish version of David’s Sling will be manufactured and integrated in collaboration with Finnish, Israeli and U.S. contractors led by Rafael and Raytheon Technologies, the Israeli statement said.

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