Israel to supply MMR radar systems to Slovakia in €150 million deal

The radar produced by IAI subsidiary ELTA is expected to enable the Slovakian Air Force to confront a wide range of aerial threats. It will also be interoperable with NATO defense systems

Israel to supply MMR radar systems to Slovakia in €150 million deal

The MMR radar system. Photo: IAI

The Israeli Defense Ministry said Thursday it will deliver 17 radar systems produced by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) to the Slovak Defense Ministry under an agreement valued at approximately €150 million. 

The MMR radar produced by IAI subsidiary ELTA detects airborne threats, classifies them, calculates their threat level and provides essential data that enables systems to neutralize multiple threats simultaneously.  The combat-proven system has been used extensively in operations in Israel and around the world. 

The agreement, led by the International Defense Cooperation Directorate (SIBAT) in the Israeli Defense Ministry, includes the transfer of technology and knowledge from Israel to Slovakia as well as industrial cooperation. The radar components will be manufactured in collaboration with defense industries in Slovakia, under the professional guidance of IAI and the Defense Ministry. Thursday's announcement followed the Slovak government's approval of the recommendation made by the Slovak Defense Ministry to procure the MMR systems. 

The radar systems will be interoperable with NATO defense mechanisms. In recent years, similar systems have been incorporated into the command and control systems of additional countries in the NATO alliance.

Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz said "As I told the Slovak Minister of Defense during our discussion, Israel’s defense industry is at the forefront of global technology and development and produces excellent operational and military capabilities. I congratulate the employees of the Israel Ministry of Defense and IAI on another significant achievement, which reflects the excellent capabilities of Israel’s defense industry, as well as Israel’s strengthening relations and cooperation with NATO countries. Under my leadership, the defense establishment will continue to promote technology procurement and development agreements, which are part of the security concept of the State of Israel and are particularly important for Israeli resilience at this time due to the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic."

The director of SIBAT, Brig. Gen. (Res.) Yair Kulas, commented "The Slovak government's choice to equip its forces with Israeli radar systems is another significant step in strengthening defense relations between our countries. The choice is also indicative of the excellent capabilities of Israel’s defense industry, which provides advanced solutions to a vast range of ever-evolving threats. We thank our Slovakian partners and look forward to continuing exchanges of information and technology, further expanding our partnership."

Yoav Turgeman, IAI VP and CEO of ELTA, said "We are honored to be the Slovakian government's choice and to incorporate IAI’s MMR Radar into their air defense solution, and we thank the Israel Ministry of Defense for the cooperation. The MMR leverages state-of-the-art technologies to provide a dependable picture of the air and awareness of the situation at hand. Approximately 130 MMRs have been delivered to the Czech Republic, Hungary and Slovakia, and are already operational in the United States and Canada, in addition to Israel. We are confident this is the best radar system to enable the Slovakian Air Force to confront a wide range of aerial threats and we look forward to further cooperation."

You might be interested also