US greenlights sale of David's Sling anti-missile system to Finland
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The system, produced by Rafael Advanced Defense Systems and nicknamed David's Sling, has been in operation in "Israel" since 2017.
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An interceptor missile is launched in the final December 2015. (Wikimedia Commons)
The Israeli Security Ministry said on Wednesday the US government greenlighted the sale of the Israeli-US David's Sling anti-missile system to Finland for the amount of 316 million euros ($350 million).
The Israeli Ministry expressed its gratitude to the US government "for approving the historic deal to sell the system jointly developed by Israel and the US to a third country," a statement by the Ministry said, The Israeli Security Ministry, the Ministry of Defense of Finland, and the Rafael Advanced Defense Systems company, after receiving the approval of the US administration, "will participate in the signing ceremony of a procurement agreement worth approximately 316 million euros," the statement continued.
In April, just a day after Finland joined the NATO military alliance, the country announced its intent to purchase the system.
The sale, however, required the approval of the US, which developed the system in joint cooperation with "Israel."
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The system, produced by Rafael Advanced Defense Systems and nicknamed David's Sling, has been in operation in "Israel" since 2017.
It was designed to intercept medium- and long-range rockets at a range of 40-300 kilometers (25-185 miles).
The system constitutes the middle part of "Israel's" multi-layer anti-missile capabilities, which also include the short-range Iron Dome and a top level of Arrow 2 and Arrow 3 systems.
This marks the first time the system is sold to a foreign entity.
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