In a historic ceremony at the Holzdorf Air Base, Germany deployed the Arrow 3 missile defense system for the first time, a technology developed in Israel that will now protect German territory and key NATO structures.
The event, attended by senior Israeli defense officials and international media, marks a milestone in military cooperation between the two countries.
Amir Baram, Director General of the Israeli Ministry of Defense, emphasized the symbolic weight of the moment: "It's astonishing to see Israeli technology defending Germany, despite the history of the Holocaust."
The agreement, valued at 3.6 billion dollars, is the first export of Arrow 3 and makes Germany the first country to operate the system outside Israel.
The system, the result of decades of joint research between Israel and the United States, intercepts medium-range ballistic missiles outside the atmosphere using hit-to-kill technology, minimizing risks over populated areas.
According to the German Air Force, its incorporation closes critical gaps in European defense and creates a 360-degree protection architecture, complemented by the Patriot and IRIS-T systems.
The Luftwaffe's Chief of Air Defense, Lieutenant General Holger Neumann, highlighted that this project "was only possible thanks to the deep friendship and trust between Germany, Israel, and the United States."
