Gallant speaks with German defense chief about Arrow 3 purchase

Defense Minister Yoav Gallant speaks with his German counterpart, Boris Pistorius, after the Bundestag approved an advance payment for the purchase of Israel’s Arrow 3 missile defense system last week.

According to a Defense Ministry readout, Gallant congratulated Pistorius over the green light given by the budget committee in the lower house of the German parliament for an initial payment of 560 million euros.

“During the conversation, the defense minister and his German counterpart discussed strengthening the security relations between the two countries and agreed to meet soon to discuss deepening cooperation,” Gallant’s office says.

Germany will pay some four billion euros ($4.3 billion) for the Arrow 3, Israel’s most advanced long-range missile defense system, meant to intercept ballistic missiles while they are still outside of the Earth’s atmosphere.

As the system was co-developed with the United States, the export process to Germany is contingent on Washington’s approval . The Defense Ministry says it is currently in talks with the American government to get the okay.