Many European countries are increasing their purchases of weapons from Israel.

Germany has concluded one of the largest defense deals in recent years — a contract to purchase Spike anti-tank missiles from the Israeli company Rafael Advanced Defense Systems. The agreement’s value, according to Calcalist, is estimated at approximately 2 billion euros, and the decision reflects a new trend: Europe is increasingly arming itself with technologies tested in battles against Russian aggression.

A deal changing the balance in Europe

The production and supply of the missiles will be carried out by the company EuroSpike, a joint venture of Rafael and German defense giants Rheinmetall and Diehl Defense. The new complexes will replace outdated systems that showed weaknesses during the war in Ukraine.
The contract not only strengthens the German army but also becomes part of a large-scale process of restoring Europe’s defense potential. After 2022, the continent is rapidly increasing its military capabilities, rethinking the concept of security.

Israel and the export of power

Senior Director of the Center on Military and Political Power at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies Bradley Bowman notes: such deals strengthen not only Europe’s defense but also the resilience of Israeli industry.
“Like the USA, Israel uses the export of defense products to maintain its own production capabilities even during times of reduced domestic demand,” the expert emphasized.

Israeli companies Rafael, Elbit Systems, and Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) are working at full capacity. The demand for their products has increased several times, and the export of defense technologies in 2024 reached a record 14.7 billion dollars — the fourth consecutive year of growth.

Weapons tested by time and war

The Spike missile family has become a symbol of a new generation of precision weaponry. These missiles have a “fire and forget” technology and are capable of hitting both stationary and moving targets.
The Spike LR2 model hits a distance of up to 5.5 km, and the ER2 version — up to 16 km. Today, Spike missiles are in service in 45 countries, including Finland, Poland, and Estonia.

Deputy Director of the same center Ryan Brobst emphasized that after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, many European countries sharply increased their purchases of Israeli weapons. “Systems like Spike have a decisive advantage — range and accuracy, which is especially important against the backdrop of active drone use on the battlefield,” he added.

A new security map: Israel and Europe

According to data from the Israeli Ministry of Defense, 54% of all the country’s defense exports in 2024 were to Europe — compared to 35% the previous year. Germany, Finland, the Czech Republic, and Denmark are entering into agreements for the supply of Israeli technologies, from missile systems to air defense.

In the same year, Berlin and Tel Aviv signed a historic deal worth 3.5 billion dollars for the supply of the Arrow 3 system, designed to protect Europe from threats from Iran and Russia. Finland, in turn, acquired the David’s Sling complex for 317 million euros — another creation of Rafael, developed to intercept missiles and drones.

Strategic partnership of the future

For Israel, defense export has become not just a business but a tool of geopolitical influence. In February 2025, the Ministry of Defense announced investments of over 150 billion shekels in the development of domestic production to minimize dependence on external suppliers and strengthen the country’s status as a technological leader in the security field.

Israeli technologies today are shaping a new architecture of European defense. By purchasing Spike, Germany is not just replenishing its arsenal — it is betting on weapons born in real battles and created in a country that lives daily under threat.

NAnews — Israel News | Nikk.Agency