India-Israel missile defence system to be procured by Israeli Navy

JERUSALEM: The multi-purpose Barak 8 missile defence system, jointly developed by India and Israel, will be procured by the Israeli Navy to protect its economic zones and strategic facilities from diversified threats and the sales for it have exceeded$5 billion, a top Israeli aerospace company has said.

The missile system has been jointly developed by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), India's DRDO, Israel's Administration for the Development of Weapons and Technological Infrastructure, Elta Systems, Rafael and some other Indian defence companies.

Barak-8 is an operational air and missile defense system used by the Israeli Navy as well as by the Indian Navy and air forces.

Israeli Navy's Sa'ar-6 corvettes will be using the system to protect Israel's exclusive economic zone and strategic facilities which are faced with diversified threats in the marine arena, the IAI said in a statement.

"The Barak-8 system was chosen after it was demonstrated to meet the operational requirements and future challenges faced by the Navy," the company said.

"Barak-8 is one of IAI's leading systems and a growth engine for IAI in sales to its customers. The new deal adds to several Barak-8 contracts entered over the past few years with total value of more than USD 5 billion, which is another feather in the system's glorious cap," said IAI's CEO and President Joseph Weiss.

Designed to defend against a variety of short-to-long-range airborne threats, including fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, drones and projectiles, Barak-8 incorporates a state-of-the-art phased array multi-mission radar, two-way data link, and a flexible command and control system, enabling users to simultaneously engage multiple targets day and night and in all weather conditions.

The successfully operational system will help provide broad aerial and point defence against a wide range of threats to the marine arena from the air, sea or land.

Boaz Levi, Executive Vice President and General Manager of Systems, Missiles and Space Group at IAI called the system "a proud member of the exclusive club that hosts Israel's most successful global military developments".

"The procurement of Barak-8 System for the Sa'ar-6 corvettes will expand the operational capabilities of the Israeli navy, including the defense of Israel's territorial and exclusive economic zone.

"With land and naval modules, the system provides a complete response to a wide range of threats and is developed to work with other systems," Levi said.