JERUSALEM, Dec. 5 (Xinhua) -- Israel agreed on Thursday to sell Iron Dome aerial defense systems to the Czech Republic, the Israeli Defense Ministry said.
Under a 125-million-dollar worth deal signed between the two allies, Israel will supply eight Multi-Mission Radar (MMR) systems with air surveillance, air defense, and artillery capabilities to a Czech security program called Mobile Air Defense Radar (MADR).
The MMR systems are manufactured by Elta Systems, an Israeli provider of defense products and a subsidiary of the Israel Aerospace Industries.
"The systems will be delivered, tested, licensed and accepted in operational condition during 2021-2023 in the Czech Republic," a spokesperson for the Israel Aerospace Industries said in a statement.
Upon their arrival, the systems "will be adapted to operate in accordance with Czech and NATO command and control systems," the spokesperson added.
The contract was signed on Thursday in Prague by Czech Defense Minister Lubomir Metnar and head of the Israeli Defense Ministry's International Defense Cooperation Directorate Yair Kulas.
MMR systems are known also as Iron Dome, an aerial defense system that can intercept rockets and short-range missiles. Israel uses it to intercept rockets occasionally fired by Palestinian militants in the besieged Gaza Strip.
According to Yoav Tourgeman, CEO of Elta, there are currently over 100 Iron Dome systems contracted worldwide, including NATO countries.
"These radars will propel forward the Czech Air-force capabilities and enable to confront the most advanced aerial threats," he said in the statement, adding that he believes that the deal "paves the path to additional cooperation between the Israeli and Czech defense industries."
