Israel Increases Production of Arrow Missile Defense System

JAKARTA - The Israeli Ministry announced plans to increase production of the Arrow missile interceptor defense system, in light of the ongoing war with Iran.

Monday's announcement comes after questions have emerged in international media about how long Israel's interceptor stockpiles will last, with some analysts pointing to Arrow interceptor shortfalls in particular.

"The Ministerial Committee for Procurement has approved the plan of the Israeli Ministry of Defense (IMOD) for a significant additional acceleration in the production of the Arrow interceptor," said a Defense Ministry statement, citing Al Arabiya from AFP (7/4).

It added that the plan would allow "a significant increase in both the production rate and the inventory of Arrow interceptors as part of preparations for the ongoing campaign."

Meanwhile, Israeli Defense Minister Katz was quoted in the statement as saying, "Israel has enough interceptor missiles to protect its citizens, and this initiative is designed to ensure the continued freedom of action and operational endurance we need."

It is known that Israel has a layered air defense system, with various systems intercepting threats at different altitudes.

The top layer consists of the Arrow anti-ballistic missile system, with Arrow 2 operating both in the Earth's atmosphere and in outer space, while Arrow 3 intercepts above the Earth's atmosphere.

Each Arrow 2 interceptor missile is estimated to cost $1.5 million, while Arrow 3 is around $2 million.