Israel
The Israeli military announced that an Iron Dome battery deployed at sea recently became operational after a series of successful tests. The system will protect Israeli ships and offshore assets, such as gas platforms, from short-range rockets.
Following the Blue Flag Exercise in Israel earlier this month, Israel Aerospace Industries’ (IAI) has supplied the Israeli Air Force (IAF) a new debriefing system that shows integrated views of participating air assets in each training scenario.
The Israeli government announced that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu would visit India for three days in mid-January.
Israeli Military Technology
A group of 15 soldiers with the IAF’s Educational Research and Development group in Haifa have developed a maintenance training program on virtual reality (VR) headsets for IDF technicians and engineers.
Foreign Military Sales
India’s Defense Ministry canceled a $500 million deal with Rafael to purchase Spike anti-tank guided missiles. New Delhi will enlist its Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) to develop the missile indigenously, even though Rafael has already opened a production center in India with Kalyani Group, a local industrial firm.
The United Kingdom bought licenses to some of the command and control technology behind Iron Dome for $104 million. Britain plans to integrate the software into Land Ceptor, an air defense system used on the Falkland Islands.
The Israeli Defense Ministry has offered to sell 12 F-16s to the Croatian government. The deal would include the already retired F-16A/B variants as well as F-16C/Ds fighter and trainer aircraft.
Elbit inaugurated a new training facility for the Colombian Air Force. The interconnected, multi-cockpit simulators allow up to 24 trainees to practice tactical missions and debrief together.
The Pentagon awarded Elta, an IAI subsidiary and maker of maker of Drone Guard, a $39 million contract to supply anti-UAV systems to U.S. Strategic Command.
Regional Developments
NATO and Jordan representatives signed the third extension to the Mediterranean Dialogue Trust Fund, which will provide the Arab nation assistance in storing and destroying unused munitions.
The Pentagon requested $143 million to upgrade the Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan, near the Syrian border. The proposal will expand aircraft taxiways and storage facilities, enabling the military to “support cargo and personnel recovery operations” at the base.
