Israeli state-owned company, Rafael Advanced Defence Systems Ltd will deliver an advanced air missile dubbed the Spyder Air Defence System to the Kenya Defence Force (KDF).
The National Treasury’s budget documents tabled in Parliament on April 30 confirmed that the Kenyan government will acquire a loan from Tel Aviv to purchase the missile worth Ksh1 billion.
“Procurement of quantity one (1) Reinforced Battery of Medium Range Surface to Air Missile System – Spyder Air Defence System,” read the Treasury budget documents projecting fresh loans for the 2024/25 financial year starting July 1 this year.
The Company recently revealed that its weapon can counter ballistic missiles making it key amid growing security threats in the Gulf of Aden from Houthi rebels and Somalia’s Al-Shabaab.
On January 10, 2024, Rafael announced the successful completion of a test for its advanced Spyder air defense system in its newest configuration – All in One.
The test was conducted by Rafael with the Israeli Ministry of Defense Directorate of Defense Research & Development.
It involved intercepting an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) in a challenging operational scenario, achieving a direct and effective hit.
Spyder Air Defence System
Spyder is one of the systems developed by Rafael Advanced Defense Systems.
It is a quick reaction, low-level surface-to-air missile system designed to counter attacks by aircraft, helicopters, UAVs, and precision-guided munitions.
Operational, with over 15 years of proven success, Spyder is the choice of eight of the world’s most sophisticated armed forces including the Czech Republic, the first NATO member to deploy Spyder systems.
The Spyder Family of short- to long-range mobile, quick-reaction, combat-proven Air Defense Systems rapidly neutralizes aircraft, UAVs, and precision guided munitions.
It is now enhanced with a sophisticated counter-TBM (tactical ballistic missile) capability.
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Flexible, customizable, and transportable by aircraft, the New Generation Spyder, based on Open Architecture, integrates advanced new sensors, effectors, and launcher configurations which can be flexibly combined.
Spyder’s precision interceptor missiles, the PYTHON 5™, with dual-band Imaging Infra-Red (IIR) and CCD Seeker, and the I-DERBY ER™ with a 2-pulse rocket motor for longer ranges, can be tailored to operational and mission requirements.
Its autonomous capabilities can detect threats while on the move and enable a 360° launch within seconds of the target being declared hostile, in all-weather, multi-launch, and net-centric capabilities.
All the Spyder systems have multiple target engagement capabilities for handling saturation attacks.
Rafael Advanced Defence Systems History
Rafael Advanced Defense Systems is headquartered in Haifa, POB 2250, Israel, and has 3 office locations.
The other two offices are located in Bethesda at the United States and Hyderabad, India.
The Company was founded in 1948 as Israel’s National R&D Defense Laboratory for the development of weapons and military technology within the Israeli Ministry of Defense.
In 2002, Rafael Advanced Defence Systems was formally incorporated as a limited company (although still as a government-owned corporation).
However, the Company maintained its technological capabilities through an investment of about 10% of turnover in R&D programs.
Technological Role
Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Ltd. develops, manufactures, and sustains combat-proven technologies, products, and systems-of-systems for air, land, naval, space and digital applications.
Leveraging its technological ingenuity, operational experience, and unparalleled understanding of evolving combat requirements, Rafael provides global warfighters with today’s most advanced technologies and life-saving defense solutions that ensure operational superiority.
Further, its strategy includes strategic international partnerships and localization, to ensure customer sovereignty.
RAFAEL leverages today’s most innovative technologies in the areas of advanced Aerodynamics and Missiles, Autonomous Systems, Advanced Electro-Optics, Computer Vision, Signal Processing, Artificial Intelligence, and Data Fusion and Analysis.
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Additionally, the other areas include Advanced Navigation, Spectrum Management, RF Systems and EW, Cyber, and Networked Warfare.
Rafael develops Advanced Materials as well as Quantum Technologies.
Rafael applies vast experience and ingenuity in creating unique technological capabilities and specialized components and subsystems, system engineering, electro-optical seekers, image processing, aerodynamics, and navigation.
Currently, the Company has an order backlog of $14.5 billion (Ksh1.8 trillion), a $3.8 billion (Ksh495.9 billi0n) revenue and a net profit of $159 billion (Ksh22.7 trillion).
Industrial Collaboration
Rafael’s main markets include the US, Canada, Europe, the Asia-Pacific region, and the Middle East, as well as countries in Latin America and Africa.
The Company’s customers, including 20 NATO countries, are supported by Rafael Group’s 30 subsidiaries and numerous joint ventures and teaming agreements around the world.
Rafael is committed to the expansion of its global Industrial Cooperation programs which foster strong, long-term partnerships, technology transfer, manufacturing localization, and highly valued customer independence and sovereignty.
Other Notable Products
Besides, the Company brags of manufacturing products like Python, an air-to-air missiles system and Spike which is a fourth-generation fire-and-forget anti-tank guided missile.
Rafael is also the creator of the Popeye an air-to-ground missile system and Popeye Turbo SLCM believed to be a nuclear-tipped submarine-launched cruise missile.
It manufactures a laser missile defense system called Iron Beam and the Iron Dome which is an air defense system to intercept short-range rockets and artillery shells.
Rafael also created an active protection system for armored vehicles, Protector USV – an unmanned surface vehicle and David’s Sling, a surface-to-air missile system.
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