JERUSALEM — Just days before the US and Iran announced a tenuous ceasefire, Israel said it was planning a “significant increase” in the production of Arrow interceptors for what it called an “evolving campaign.”
“The large-scale acceleration of Arrow interceptor production is already driving a significant increase in monthly output, strengthening Israel’s upper defense layer against ballistic threats from Iran and its proxies,” Israeli Minister of Defense Israel Katz said in a Ministry of Defense statement on Monday.
He said that while Israel has enough interceptors to protect its citizens, “this initiative is designed to ensure continued freedom of action and the sustained operational endurance we require. The Ayatollah regime should know: Israel is resilient and strong, prepared to sustain the campaign for as long as necessary, and continues to enhance its defensive and offensive capabilities while fighting.”
Those comments came two days before the US and Iran reached what both sides called a ceasefire, though shortly afterward there was significant disagreement on what the ceasefire entailed. Gulf nations reported Iranian missiles and drones continued to attack them, and Israel launched a heavy bombing campaign against purported Hezbollah targets in Lebanon that reportedly killed scores.
Arrow is Israel’s highest tier of a multi-layered air defense system that includes David’s Sling and Iron Dome. Israel Aerospace Industries is the main contractor for Arrow, which was developed in cooperation with the US Missile Defense Agency (MDA) over more than four decades. Arrow is used to intercept “ballistic threats at exo-atmospheric and upper-atmospheric altitudes, defending Israel against long-range strategic threats,” the ministry noted.
Rafael Advanced Defense Systems produces Iron Dome and David’s Sling. Israel’s multi-layered defenses also now include a laser air defense system, also made by Rafael and supplied to the IDF in December 2025.
Israel’s Ministry of Defense noted that Arrow “has proven its capabilities during the current war, successfully intercepting numerous ballistic missiles launched from Iran and Yemen.”
“With Israel in the midst of Operation Roaring Lion and facing an active ballistic threat, the need for Arrow 3 — capable of high-altitude interception with precise, advanced, and highly reliable technology — has become more evident than ever,” IAI President and CEO Boaz Levy noted, using Israel’s name for its Iran offensive.
Amir Baram, the Director General of the Israeli Ministry of Defense, added that the ministry has been operating on an emergency footing to increase production during the conflict with Iran. Referencing the ministerial committee’s approval of the procurement, he noted that it “will allow us to fund the measures already underway and strengthen readiness for the months ahead.”
The ministry’s statement added that while IAI is the prime developer of the system in Israel, it works with STARK Aerospace in the United States. It further noted that “Elbit Systems, Tomer, and Rafael Advanced Defense Systems all participate in the system’s production.” IAI, Rafael and Elbit are Israel’s three largest defense companies. IAI and Rafael are both government-chartered companies, while Tomer is a government run company involved in rocket propulsion systems.
