JERUSALEM, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- Israel announced Thursday that it had signed a record-breaking 3.5-billion-U.S. dollar agreement with Germany to sell its Arrow-3 hypersonic missile defense system to the European country.
The Israeli Defense Ministry said in a statement that Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius signed the agreement in Berlin on Thursday. The two ministers also signed a joint statement, pledging to enhance bilateral security ties.
As part of the deal, Germany has agreed to make an immediate payment of 600 million U.S. dollars, which will be used by Israel to start the production of Arrow-3 batteries for Germany, the statement said.
The Arrow-3 is Israel's most advanced missile defense system and a key component of the country's multi-layered defense doctrine, which also includes the Iron Dome to intercept short-range rockets and David's Sling to block medium-range missiles.
In 2022, Israeli arms export deals reached a new record of 12.5 billion U.S. dollars, with over 25 percent of its sales going to Europe, according to Defense Ministry figures. ■
