Israel Aerospace Industries CEO Boaz Levy said Israel is ready for another round of fighting with Iran and has been producing interceptors continuously since October 7.
Speaking at a conference of the Israeli-American Council, Levy declined to address reports of shortages but said production has been running around the clock. He also expressed hope that Israel would take part in developing the "Golden Dome," a multilayered air defense system envisioned by U.S. President Donald Trump.
Arrow 3 missile interception
(Video: Defense Ministry)
“We are ready, and we were born ready,” Levy said, referring to the possibility of renewed conflict with Iran.
Levy said missile defense against ballistic threats is the result of close cooperation between Israel and the United States, involving the Defense Ministry, the Pentagon and the Israel Defense Forces. He said Israel Aerospace Industries manufactures interceptors designed to destroy incoming missiles.
“The combination of Arrow 3 and Arrow 2 works perfectly,” Levy said. “During the 12-day war, we intercepted nearly 90% of the missiles. These are phenomenal figures when talking about defense against ballistic missiles.”
Levy said he has worked on missile defense projects for 35 years, dating back to the era of U.S. President Ronald Reagan and early efforts to intercept missiles in flight. He said about half of the Arrow system components are manufactured in the United States and later integrated in Israel.
He added that the scale of recent attacks surprised Israel. “We did not think the enemy would dare to launch such a massive assault against Israel,” he said. “This is no longer just Israel’s problem. It is a global issue. Anyone can launch large salvos at cities and civilian populations.”
Referring to the sale of the Arrow 3 system to Germany, Levy said the contract was signed one week before October 7. “We had no idea the world would change a week later,” he said. “We committed to deploy the system in Germany within two years, and that is exactly what we did.”
Levy said the approval to sell the system required authorization from both the U.S. administration and the Israeli government and described the deal as a joint effort involving three governments. He said the project is a source of personal pride, particularly as the son of a Holocaust survivor.
Levy said Israel hopes to be part of the development of the ‘Golden Dome,’ which Trump announced last year and which is inspired by Israel’s Iron Dome system. According to Reuters, the planned U.S. system would include four layers of defense, one space-based and three ground-based, with short-range missile batteries deployed across the United States.
“I believe the technological contribution between the two nations will serve the United States as well,” Levy said. “When you have such a close ally and such a high level of cooperation, it is possible.”
In a separate conversation with Ynet, Levy said the joint U.S.-Israel development of the Arrow system has proven itself over the past two years, including during Operation ‘Am Kelavi,’ when hundreds of ballistic missiles fired from Iran and Yemen were intercepted.
“At the same time,” he said, “the United States is advancing efforts under President Trump to protect American assets from long-range missiles. The Arrow system, developed jointly with the U.S., could serve as a foundation for future cooperation and help deploy such capabilities on U.S. soil within two years, while further strengthening the partnership between the two countries.”