Emmanuel Thomas, DPA, Sunday, June 18, 2023
TEL AVIV – Israel is seeking final permission from the United States for the sale of Israeli Arrow 3 missile to Germany after two German Bundestag committees approved the purchase.
The defence system was jointly developed with the US. Israeli Defence Minister Joav Galant spoke on the phone with his German counterpart, Boris Pistorius, Galant’s office announced on Sunday.
The Bundestag’s Budget and Defence Committees had voted in favour of the purchase on Wednesday. The costs are estimated at just under €4 billion ($4.4 billion).
The money is to be financed from the €100 billion special fund passed in response to the Russia’s war against Ukraine. Arrow 3 was jointly developed by Israel and the US and is to be operational by the end of 2025. On Germany’s initiative, it is to become part of a European air defence system.
It is a top tier weapon of Israel’s multi-stage missile defence system and can destroy attacking weapon systems at altitude of more than 100 kilometres.