USA, India and Romania: three deals for the Israeli defense industry

Last week, India made a purchase of 29.6 billion rupees (about 340 million dollars) of more than 70 MRSAM systems (Medium-Range Surface-to-Air Missiles) from the company “Bharat Dynamics”, the partner of the aerospace industry for the development and production of the Indian version of the system The “Berak 8” air defense.

The systems will be installed on most of the future warships of the Indian Navy. “The contract is a critical milestone in efforts to increase Indian defense capabilities,” the Indian Ministry of Defense said. The contract is particularly significant following Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “Made in India” policy, according to which companies are required to operate production lines in the country. The new contract alone, according to publications, is expected to create about 350 thousand working days.

On the Israeli side, the company that manages the MRSAM branch for the aerospace industry is the subsidiary Aerospace Services India (ASI), which is based in New Delhi. ASI transacts in the Indian currency, the rupee, with the MRSAM providing protection against a variety of aerial threats and being used by the Indian Army, Air Force and the country’s Navy. The system, which is effective for a range of 70 km and is capable of tracking more than 1,000 air threats simultaneously, includes a Phased Array radar, a command and control system, mobile launchers and interceptors equipped with an advanced radio frequency sensor.

Elbit America reports a $139 million order

At the same time, Elbit’s subsidiary, Elbit America, reports today (Sun) that it has received an order in the amount of 139 million dollars to continue the production of the “Google-Binocular” (ENVG-B) night vision equipment for the US Army. The production as part of the deal will be carried out at the company’s Roanoke, Virginia facility, with supplies continuing through December 2026. “ENVG-Bs provide clarity in low-light and no-light conditions, so soldiers can to operate whenever and wherever their mission dictates,” explains Eric Fox, Elbit America’s Vice President of Combat Systems.

Since 2020, Elbit America has supplied more than 25 thousand units of night vision equipment of this model. The advantage of these systems lies in the fact that they allow the fighter to see in extreme weather conditions, as well as when visibility is poor. The fighter is also able to focus using the night vision goggles, to improve his ability to face the potential enemy.

Expanding the cooperation of Pelsen Sasa with the South Korean company Hanwa

The sequence of international contracts is not limited to the two largest companies only. The Pelsen Sasa company, from Kibbutz Sasa near the Lebanese border, is expanding its cooperation with the large South Korean company Hanwa, within the framework of which the two companies will cooperate in the development of protection for K9 cannons and K10 vehicles manufactured by the Korean company. According to the “Army Reconnaissance” website, the expected destination is Romania, although it is possible that it is also Estonia and Poland.

In the middle of 2024, Romania closed a business deal with Hanva in the amount of about one billion dollars which includes, among other things, protection kits for 54 K9 cannons and 36 K10 vehicles. K9 Thunder cannons are designed for 155 mm shells, which are a standard in Western countries and the NATO alliance. The reason why they have become a sought-after product in the market is its operating range of about 360 km.

The contract between Pelsen Sasa and Hanwa began in 2022, with protective suits for 30 “Huntesman AS9” cannons for the Australian army. To them, protective suits were added to 129 “Redback” APCs that the Australians purchased from the South Koreans for 2.6 billion dollars. Since then, the Pelsan plant was damaged in the war of iron swords, but even managed to launch new products. Last August, the company launched a new development: TAPS – Top Attack Protection System. This is an add-on designed to protect aircraft from height attacks, such as drones This lightweight protection is intended to be added to existing kinetic protections, and has already undergone rigorous testing by several Western armies, which confirmed its operational use.