Finland's announcement came immediately after admission to NATO was granted.
Finland's Ministry of Defense announced late Wednesday that they will purchase the David's Sling air missile defense system from Israel. The announcement came a day after Finland was accepted into NATO.
The newest member of NATO announced plans to buy the defense system at cost for 316 million euros, with plans to possibly expand.
In a statement released by Finnish officials, plans to purchase the system will require joint efforts between the nations.
"The procurement contract will include a separate clause between the Israeli Ministry of Defense and the Ministry of Defense of Finland to ensure the security of supply of the system. The arrangement will ensure the availability of critical system components in all security situations," the statement said.
“The David’s Sling system will extend the operational range of Finland’s ground-based air defense capabilities significantly.”
This decision was one of Finland's first moves after officially being accepted into the alliance. The nation saw Israel's defense system as a crucial need to meeting Finland's defense needs.
“This acquisition will create a new capability for the Finnish Defense Forces to intercept targets at high altitude. At the same time we are continuing the ambitious and long-term development of Finland’s defense capability in a new security environment,” said Minister of Defense Antti Kaikkonen.
How does the David's Sling system compare to prices of other Israeli missile defense systems?
The David's Sling system is pricier among Israeli missile defense forces. Each interceptor launched by Israel’s David’s Sling system costs an estimated $1 million, but the army insists that the cost is irrelevant when launched to defend the home front.
Israel’s air defenses also include the Iron Dome, which is designed to shoot down short-range rockets; and the Arrow system which intercepts ballistic missiles outside of the Earth’s atmosphere. Compared to the David’s Sling costly interceptor, each Iron Dome Tamir interceptor has a reported price of between $100,000 and $150,000.
Source: JPost