Germany buys $451m of defense tech from Israel’s Rafael, despite Gaza tensions

Israel’s Rafael Advanced Defense Systems on Tuesday announced a €358 million ($415 million) deal with the German Air Force for advanced targeting technology for fighter aircraft.

“The German parliament has authorized the procurement of 90 Litening 5 targeting pods for its Eurofighter Typhoon fleet,” the defense electronics company said in its announcement.

It noted that the Litening 5 fifth-generation targeting system is “already operational with 28 air forces worldwide.”

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz announced earlier this month that Berlin — Israel’s second largest arms supplier — had suspended sales of arms to Israel that could be used in the war against the Hamas terror group in Gaza.

Merz announced the German arms embargo amid broad European condemnation of the Israeli security cabinet’s recent approval of a plan to seize Gaza City in October.

According to Globes, the German Air Force is “conducting extensive cooperation with the Israeli defense sector,” including major deals with Israel Aerospace Industries and Israel’s Defense Ministry, “as well as the rapid deployment of the Arrow 3 system.”

The Israeli outlet, citing German reports, said Berlin was attracted to the Rafael system’s capabilities, which include locking onto moving targets despite rapid altitude changes, thermal sensors for poor visibility conditions, and attacks on targets more than 100 kilometers (62 miles) from the aircraft.

By contrast, it was reported Wednesday Israeli defense companies were barred from participating in the Netherlands’ largest military exhibition; the decision came despite the Netherlands, according to Globes, still supplying Jerusalem indirectly with F-35 fighter jet parts via third countries.