August 16, 2018

Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) announced it has received a contract to deliver its Barak-8 missile system for Israel Navy’s Sa’ar-6 corvettes.

The contract was led by the navy, Directorate of Defense Research and Development (DDR&D) and the procurement administration in Israel’s defense ministry.

IAI will be responsible for delivering the Barak-8 air and missile defense system which was chosen after it was demonstrated to meet the operational requirements and future challenges faced by the Navy.

The system is used by the Israeli navy as well as by the Indian navy and air forces. It provides broad aerial and point defense against a wide range of threats to the marine arena from the air, the sea or the land. The system integrates digital radar, command and control, launchers, interceptors with modern RF seekers, data link and system-wide connectivity, according to IAI.

“The new deal adds to several Barak-8 contracts entered over the past few years with total value of more than $5 billion, which is another feather in the system’s glorious cap,” Joseph Weiss, IAI CEO & president, said.

In addition to the Barak 8, Israel’s new Sa’ar-6 corvettes will be equipped with the Naval Iron Dome, electronic warfare systems, cyber defense systems and means of detection and surveillance.

Construction on the new class of ships started in February this year at the Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems shipyard in Kiel, Germany. The first ship is set for delivery in 2019 while all four ships are expected to be delivered by 2021.

Earlier this month, another Israeli defense contractor – Elbit Systems – announced it had received an approximately $85 million contract from the Israeli Ministry of Defense (IMOD) to supply Electronic Warfare (EW) suites for the corvettes.