Slovakia invests €560 million in Israel’s Barak MX air defense system

The Israeli Ministry of Defense announced on Monday that Israel has completed its third sale of the Barak MX air defense system, securing a deal with Slovakia worth 560 million euros.

This sale marks a continuation of Israel Aerospace Industries’ expansion in the defense market, following previous deals with Cyprus and Azerbaijan.

The Barak MX system, a variant of Rafael’s Iron Dome, is designed primarily to intercept shorter-range rockets, similar to its predecessor. However, the Ministry emphasized that the system is also capable of targeting drones, cruise missiles, and certain types of tactical ballistic missiles—though its effectiveness against the full spectrum of ballistic missile threats remains unclear.

While the Iron Dome is effective at neutralizing smaller rockets, Israel relies on its Arrow 2 and 3 missile systems for intercepting long-range ballistic missiles, due to their ability to strike at higher altitudes and greater distances.

The Defense Ministry stated that this deal, brokered by the International Defense Cooperation Directorate (SIBAT), will strengthen bilateral ties between Israel and Slovakia while enhancing Slovakia’s defense capabilities.