Tel Aviv: In spite of the Danish official statement that it will stop buying Israeli defence systems due to the war in Gaza, Denmark is again evaluating the Israeli Barak MX air defence system.
The recent drone invasion of multiple Danish airports and military installations last week has increased the Danes’ interest in the Israeli defence system. Barak MX is available to Denmark with an integrated “soft kill” feature that electronically targets and destroys drones.
The Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) Barak MX is combat proven. Recently, the Israeli navy has intercepted eight UAVs launched from Iran. For the first time, the interception was carried out using the long range version of the Barak MX.
For the first time, this system in cooperation with advanced sensors were operationally employed. The interceptor, which is installed on the INS Sa’ar 6 missile ship, is capable of countering a wide range of threats, including UAVs, cruise missiles, high-trajectory threats, shore-to-sea missiles, and more.
The Barak MX has been selected by Cyprus, Slovakia, Morocco, Azerbaijan and Australia.
The operation of this air defence systems in its ground and naval configurations will result in further upgrades .
An Israeli source said that the Barak MX proved its capability is some “very complicated scenarios”.
According to IAI, the Barak MX, is a fully network-centric solution, featuring an open system architecture and modular design, seamlessly integrating various sensors, battle management, and interceptors into a unified system.
The unique connectivity of Barak MX allows for the expansion of defended areas by interconnecting multiple units, enabling fire units to rely on each other’s assets to engage targets beyond the individual reach of each unit. It also enables the integration of Ground-Based Air Defences (GBAD) and Naval Air defences under a joint multi-layered network, enhancing them and denying enemy access or missile attacks.
Unlike air-to-air missiles converted to surface-to-air use, the Barak MX interceptors were originally designed as surface-to-air missiles with an optimal size and diameter, which is larger than the airborne restricted air-to-air missiles.
-The writer is an Israel-based freelance journalist. The views expressed are of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the views of Raksha Anirveda
