Romania’s Ministry of Protection introduced at present that it has chosen Israel’s Rafael Superior Protection Methods because the winner of its tender for the procurement of a short-range and ultra-short-range air protection system (V/SHORAD). The tender is value an estimated €1.9 billion ($2.2 billion), with earlier reviews indicating that the system supplied by Rafael is the Spyder. The settlement between the Romanian Ministry of Protection and Rafael has not but been signed, however the ministry’s assertion signifies that the choice has been made and the signing is a proper process.
On signing, this deal will change into the second largest protection sale ever by the State of Israel, after the sale of the Arrow 3 air protection system by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) to Germany in 2023, for $3.5 billion. That deal broke the report of the sale of the Barak 8 (MRSAM) programs to India in April 2017, for $1.6 billion. A couple of month later, naval Barak 8 missiles had been offered for an extra $630 million.
Spyder is a complicated air protection system, which is in operational use in a number of armies all over the world, together with the Czech Republic and Morocco, and gives air protection options at completely different ranges and towards a wide range of aerial threats, together with drones, plane, helicopters and short-range ballistic missiles. The system intercepts the threats utilizing two households of interceptors manufactured by Rafael – Python and Derby.
The tender that Rafael gained was accredited by the parliament in Bucharest in 2020, and the procurement course of started in 2023. This strategic deal completes Romania’s air protection procurement, which included shoulder-launched missile programs and platforms for long-range threats.
The Romanians plan to finance a part of the deal, utilizing funding from the EU, together with the Ammunition Manufacturing Assist Act (ASAP) and the Strengthening the European Protection Trade by means of Joint Procurement Act (EDIRPA), which would require the Israeli firm to subcontract manufacturing to corporations In Europe, and Romania specifically. Nonetheless, Rafael has in depth expertise in integrating international corporations, with its well-known product collection – Spike collection anti-tank missiles – being manufactured in Europe by Eurospike, which is a three way partnership of Rafael and two European corporations, with equal holdings.
Rafael defeated Germany and France
Past the deal itself and its excessive worth, it is a vital achievement for Rafael, because of the rivals it confronted within the tender: the Korean firm League NEX1 was eradicated from the method final yr, as a consequence of issues with the tender paperwork, however extra vital than it had been the European big MBDA and the German firm Diehl. MBDA, headquartered in Paris, supplied the Mistral 3, whereas Diehl supplied the IRIS programs. A couple of month in the past, Rafael remained the ultimate bidder left within the tender course of, however at the moment, there was concern that it could be canceled, as a consequence of gaps between the Israeli firm and the Romanian Ministry of Protection. Gaps that had been clarified at present that had been resolved, and led to the closing of the deal.
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A considerable benefit of the Spider system, which seemingly influenced the Romanian decision-making course of, is the opportunity of utilizing the Spider in its distinctive All in ONE model. This configuration provides a whole air protection system that features: an integral radar, a devoted electro-optical payload, a complicated command and management system, and Python and Derby interceptors, all put in on only one automobile.
This configuration constitutes an optimum air protection answer for level protection or as air protection for maneuvering forces, as a part of a Spider battery or in an unbiased deployment and operated by a minimal crew of operators. In a trial performed in January 2024 in Israel, a number of eventualities simulating current and future threats had been examined, throughout which the Spider system, in its new configuration, intercepted an unmanned aerial automobile in a difficult operational state of affairs with a direct and exact hit.
Revealed by Globes, Israel enterprise information – en.globes.co.il – on June 30, 2025.
© Copyright of Globes Writer Itonut (1983) Ltd., 2025.
