Israel and Boeing Plan to Market Anti-Ballistic Missile Shield
by Katerina Canyon, International Affairs Intern for PEP
Israel is near completion of the Arrow-3 anti-ballistic missile shield and plans to test it toward the end of the year. The Arrow 3 is the third in a family anti-ballistic missile systems developed in Israel with funding from the U.S. in coordination with Boeing.
Once completed, the system will be reportedly used against potential Iranian missile attacks. Fifty-percent of the production of the Arrow 3 is contributed by Boeing. The U.S. has so far contributed $160 million to the Arrow 3 and plans to continue its funding. The U.S. Missile Defense agency recently requested Congress to approve an allocation of $120 million in next year’s budget for U.S.-Israeli missile defense efforts.
The news agency, Reuters, reported that that Boeing is considering marketing the Arrow 3 to developing countries like South Korea. In an interview with the news agency, Dennis Mullenburg, chief executive of Boeing’s defense, space and security division, described a lucrative future based on Arrow 3 sales:
“As we prove out that technology, and show that it’s not only affordable but effective, we think there will be additional global market opportunities for that capability.”
