Germany and Israel sign ‘historic’ missile shield deal

BERLIN: Germany on Thursday signed a deal to acquire the Israeli-made Arrow 3 hypersonic missile system that will become a key part of Europe´s defence against air attack.

The signing of the deal was a “historic day” for both countries, German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius said at a press conference alongside his Israeli counterpart Yoav Gallant. Worth around $3.5 billion (3.3 billion euros), the sale is the biggest ever deal for Israel´s military industry.

The Arrow 3 system would make “German air defence ready for the future”, Pistorius said. Germany has led a push to bolster Nato´s air defences in Europe after the Russian invasion of Ukraine last year, urging allies to buy deterrence systems together.

The signing of the deal was a “moving event for every Jew”, looking back at the events of the Holocaust, Gallant said. “Only 80 years since the end of the Second World War yet Israel and Germany join hands today in building a safer future,” he said.

The long-range Arrow 3 system, designed to shoot down missiles above the Earth´s atmosphere, is powerful enough to offer protective cover for neighbouring European Union states.