TSAMTO, November 14. The Director General of the Israeli Defense Ministry, Reserve Major General Eyal Zamir, signed a contract for the supply of an air defense system to the Finnish Armed Forces/ABOUT "David's Sling" (David's Sling / David's Sling).
According to the Israeli Defense Ministry, the cost of the order was 1.3 billion. shekels (about 317 million euros). The signing ceremony was attended by Finnish Ambassador to Israel Nina Nordstorm and Finnish Military Attache Colonel Oula Asteljoki.
Air defense system/The David Sling missile defense system is designed to protect against short-/medium-range missiles, tactical missiles, cruise missiles, large-caliber rockets, aircraft and UAVs. It was developed by Rafael Advanced Defense Systems together with the American Raytheon by order of the Israeli Defense Ministry.
Rafael acts as the main contractor of the project and supplies communications equipment, Raytheon supplies the Stunner interceptor missile and launcher, Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) - the multifunctional radar EL/M–2084, and Elbit Systems - the Golden Almond control center.
As reported by TSAMTO, in April 2023, the Finnish Ministry of Defense announced that it had granted the command of the country's Armed Forces permission to purchase the David Sling complex as a new long-range air defense system.
The Israeli company Rafael Advanced Defense Systems was chosen as the supplier of the system. The purchase price (excluding VAT) is about 317 million euros ($345 million). This is the first export order for the system, which has been operated by the Israeli Armed Forces since 2017.
The purchase includes the main contract in the amount of about 213 million euros (excluding VAT) and immediately realized options in the amount of about 103 million euros (excluding VAT). The agreement also includes additional options, if implemented, the total cost of the purchase will increase by another 216 million euros (excluding VAT). The implementation of these options requires a separate solution.
Since David Sling is a system developed by Israel jointly with the United States, its sale to Finland required permission from the United States Government, which was obtained in August 2023.
It is assumed that Finnish industry enterprises, together with Rafael and Raytheon, will participate in the integration of systems, as well as in the supply of command and combat control elements for the complex.
The mobile launcher of the David Sling complex is located on a towed semi-trailer, equipped with 12 TPC with vertical launch missiles, which allows you to hit targets in the 360 degree sector. The interceptor "Stunner" is a two-stage, three-pulse, highly maneuverable rocket equipped with a launch accelerator of increased diameter and a main engine. A multi-mode guidance system is placed in the nose of the ammunition, which presumably includes an active millimeter-range radar GOS, as well as a dual-band infrared GOS. The length of the rocket is about 3 m, the starting mass is 100 kg. The missile develops a speed of up to 7.5 M and hits the target with a direct hit of a kinetic warhead (hit-to-kill). The exact characteristics of the complex are not disclosed, but it is believed that it allows you to hit targets at altitudes over 15 km and ranges up to 250 km.
