Thread by @sfrantzman

A LOT this week in #IsraelDefenseNews stories:

@ILAerospaceIAI says it "delivered the first F-16 wing and vertical fin to Lockheed Martin, following the reopening of the F-16 wing assembly line at IAI."

Photos courtesy IAI

"As a result of increased worldwide demand for the F-16 Block 70/72, IAI reopened the assembly lines that had been established in the 1980s to continue production of the F-16 aerostructures assembled at IAI. The F-16 wings and vertical fins will be shipped to the F-16 production"

"and final assembly line in Greenville, South Carolina, USA."

Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, the Israel Missile Defense Organization (IMDO), in the Directorate for Defense R&D of the Israel Ministry of Defense, and the IDF have completed a successful series of live-fire tests of the ‘C-Dome’ system

C-Dome is "- an advanced naval configuration of the Iron Dome defense system. The ‘C-Dome’ was operated for the first time aboard the Israeli Naval Ship (INS) Sa’ar 6 ‘Magen’ corvette against multiple advanced threats. Crew members of the INS ‘Magen’ led the ‘C-Dome’ tests."

RT, a designer, developer and manufacturer of advanced aerostat systems , "announced the delivery of its SkyStar 180 systems to an Asian country. The systems will be used for intelligence and information-gathering missions."

Photo courtesy RT

Dutch Military orders Smart Shooter's SMASH solution
After successfully experiencing the system, the Dutch Military recently ordered Smart Shooter's solution for operational use.

(Photo courtesy Smarthshooter)

"The Dutch military has tested the system during the recent year, and decided to purchase it and use the
systems immediately, mainly for C-UAS purposes."

Basically what you see in this list is a full range of Israel's advances in defenses, from the Iron Dome application at sea; to building key parts for advances warplanes; to smaller companies that develop unique applications and add-ons.

Israel is really a dominant military innovator on land, air and sea, for a small country to produce so much technology is unique; of course it is largely due to Israel's long experience in conflict;

But it's more than that because Israel has grown exponentially in this field in the last decades; with missile, radar and air defense tech. Israel's companies are really innovating and partnering abroad with other defense companies.

There is also a lot of support in Israel for new companies and start-ups to try new technology, such as AI and small drones and add-ons; this ecosystem and rapid procurement means that a dynamic system has been created

Israel also succeeds abroad, through partnerships with top US defense companies AND also sales to countries such as Azerbaijan, Morocco, and mega-deals in India, etc.