Beautiful Virgin Islands

Friday, May 09, 2025

NATO's newest member is now becoming the first country to buy an advanced Israeli air-defense system

NATO's newest member is now becoming the first country to buy an advanced Israeli air-defense system

A day after Finland joined NATO, the country announced that it plans to buy the David's Sling system from Israel.

Finland, NATO's newest member, now plans to be the first military to obtain an advanced Israeli air-defense system.

The Finnish Defense Ministry said it approved the purchase of the David's Sling system in a statement on Wednesday. The ministry said it had sought a system that could reach a minimum altitude of 9 miles. David's Sling is designed to intercept missiles at ranges between 25 miles and 185 miles.

The system will "significantly" extend the range of Finland's ground-based air defenses, the statement said.

Israeli defense company Rafael Advanced Defense Systems will deliver the system, which was procured in a deal valued at nearly $345 million, according to the statement. The US will need to approve the sale, though it was not immediately clear when it will do so.

"This acquisition will create a new capability for the Finnish Defence Forces to intercept targets at high altitude. At the same time we are continuing the ambitious and long-term development of Finland's defence capability in a new security environment," Finnish Defense Minister Antti Kaikkonen said in the statement.

Israeli air-defense systems at the Hatzor Air Base in Israel in April 2017.


Israel's Defense Ministry confirmed Finland's purchase on Thursday. "The system is designed to intercept advanced aerial threats: ballistic missiles, aircrafts, UAVs & cruise missiles," the ministry said in a statement on Telegram.

It will be the first export of the David's Sling system, according to a translation of the ministry's statement.

David's Sling is an advanced air-defense system built by Rafael and the US firm Raytheon and has been operational since 2017. Also known as the Magic Wand, it can intercept medium- to long-range rockets and missiles. It fires an interceptor called the Stunner, which doesn't have a warhead and defeats targets by striking them.

David's Sling is one layer of Israel's complex air-defense network and works alongside the Iron Dome, which can intercept short-range artillery and rockets, and the Arrow system, which protects against ballistic missiles.


 Finland's announcement came one day after it officially became NATO's 31st member, capping off an application process that began in May and was sparked by Russia's attack on Ukraine in February last year.

The Nordic country, which has historically been militarily non-aligned, brings a significant firepower boost to the military alliance — adding mountains of tanks, jets, and other lethal hardware.

"Each country maximizes its own security. So does Finland," Finnish President Sauli Niinistö said in a statement on Tuesday after the country officially joined the trans-Atlantic alliance. "At the same time, NATO membership strengthens our international position and room for manoeuvre."

"As a partner, we have long actively participated in NATO activities. In the future, Finland will make a contribution to NATO's collective deterrence and defence," Niinistö added.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Historic Papal Conclave Set to Commence in Rome
Huge Copper, Gold, and Silver Discovery in Argentina and Chile — But the Profits Go Abroad
Prince Harry is pleading for reconciliation — but the royals are just as sick of his victimhood as everyone else
The Road to Freedom: She Protested Putin, Escaped House Arrest, and Survived a 2,800-Kilometer Journey
OpenAI's Flip-Flop: No Longer Going Commercial, Back to Nonprofit, After Musk Lawsuit and Backlash
“Trump Supporter” Aims to Bring a MAGA-Style Shift to Romania
First From China: Zhao Xintong Wins the Snooker World Championship
Nvidia Faces Billion-Dollar Losses – Warns: China Is on Its Way to Becoming an AI Superpower
Trump Rules Out Third Term, Names JD Vance and Marco Rubio as Potential Successors
Mexico Says ‘No’ to U.S. Troops: President Sheinbaum Rejects Trump’s Offer to Fight Cartels
Nigel Farage’s Reform UK Storms the Map, Wrecking the Two-Party Monopoly
DOGE: Reimagining Government Operations with AI
Common Sense Returns to Britain's Legal System: UK Supreme Court Declares a Woman Is… a Woman
Beijing Says U.S. Is ‘Reaching Out’ for Tariff Talks Amid Soaring Trade Tensions
U.K. Court Rejects Prince Harry’s Final Appeal Over Police Security
Prince Harry’s Heartfelt Outburst Rocks the Royal Family
Trump Shares AI-Generated Image of Himself as… Pope, Prompting Outrage Reaction
Transgender Swimmer Secures Five Gold Medals at U.S. Masters Championship
Prince Harry: “I Want Reconciliation with My Family”
Germany's Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) party has now been officially labeled “right-wing extremist” by the federal office for the so-called “protection of the constitution.”
Amazon Launches Satellite Internet Service Amidst Competition with SpaceX
Transformative Changes in Women's Wrestling: The Rise of WWE Superstars
The Rush to the White Gold: Global Investment Surge in Natural Hydrogen Exploration
This is a day in Spain without electricity and internet
Reform UK Surprises in British Elections, Challenging Traditional Two-Party System
180-Year-Old Christian University in South Carolina Announces Closure Due to Unmet $6 Million Fundraising Goal
Brazilian Woman Jailed for Fourteen Years for Writing “You Lost, Idiot” on Statue During Protest
Trump Administration Removes National Security Adviser Mike Waltz Amid Signal Chat Controversy
Dutch Politician Eva Vlaardingerbroek Receives Spyware Threat Alert from Apple
Paramount Board Considers Settlement in Trump’s $20 Billion Lawsuit Over "60 Minutes" Interview
U.S. Economy Shrink in Trump’s First Quarter as Tariff Policy Raises Questions
Deadline Looms for RTS Meter Replacement: Hundreds of Thousands at Risk of Heating Disruption
Sweden Grapples with Deadly Gun Violence: Suspect Arrested After Three Young Men Killed in Uppsala Hair Salon
Walz Reveals Why Harris Chose Him as Her Running Mate and Reflects on Democratic Losses
Spain Restores Power After Unprecedented Nationwide Blackout
Carney Secures Liberal Mandate in Canada’s Federal Election
Death Penalty Sought as Luigi Manion Pleads Not Guilty in CEO Murder Case
President Trump contacts Jeff Bezos after reports of Amazon considering listing tariff surcharges; company clarifies no such plan for main platform
Spain and Portugal Recover from Massive Blackout
Liverpool Clinches Record-Equalling 20th English League Title Under Arne Slot
Singapore Politicians Warn Against Foreign Interference in Election
Driver Ploughs into Vancouver Festival Crowd, Killing Nine
Depression, Fear of Defamation, and a Tragic End: New Details on Virginia Giuffre’s Suicide
“Sharia for UK, Allah Akbar!”
Massive Explosion at Iran's Bandar Abbas Port Linked to Suspicious Chemical Shipments
Incident Reflection: A Harsh Reality Check
Pakistani migrants to Danish man: “ “We have 5 children while you have 1 or 2. In 10 years, there will be more Pakistanis than Danes here.“
Clashes Erupt in London as Tensions Rise Between Indian and Pakistani Communities
Specialized anti-drone weapons deployed among security personnel Ahead of Papal Funeral
How do you fix this culture?
×