Israel: US Approves David’s Sling Air Defense System sale to Finland

The US government has given its approval to sell the David’s Sling air defense system to Finland, according to the Israeli defense ministry.

Foreign military sales involving David’s Sling require the approval of both Jerusalem and Washington since they are co-producers of the system.

Israel Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said US approval marks a significant step toward realizing a historic agreement between Helsinki and the Middle Eastern nation.

He called the development a “new milestone” in strengthening their military cooperation to better respond to global and regional threats.

Finland approved the purchase in April, putting it a few steps closer to becoming the first foreign customer of the long-range air defense system.

“The Finnish version of the system will be jointly developed by Israeli and American industries, led by Rafael and [Raytheon], in partnership with Finnish industries, each contributing to specific tasks,” the ministry said, as quoted by Breaking Defense.

Enhancing Defense Capabilities

David’s Sling is a complete air defense system designed to defeat a broad spectrum of air and missile threats.

It features an advanced, multi-mission interceptor known as the Stunner to provide military units with lethal, flexible, and affordable hit-to-kill capability.

The missile interceptor travels at a maximum speed of Mach 7.5 and can hit targets at ranges up to 300 kilometers (186 miles).

It can also be re-targeted in real time and maximizes “keep-out” distance to reduce the risk of collateral damage.

The system, integrated into Finland’s command and control, is expected to fortify Helsinki’s protection from enemy attacks.