Israel's top air defense is getting a more intense workout than its missile chief ever imagined

Israel's Arrow air defense system has seen significantly increased use over the past three years, engaging hundreds of Iranian ballistic missiles. Developed jointly by Israel Aerospace Industries and Boeing, the system includes Arrow 2 (deployed 2000) and Arrow 3 (deployed 2017), with Arrow 3 capable of intercepting missiles in space. Moshe Patel, director of the Israeli Missile Defense Organization, stated, "I didn't imagine that we would use Arrow as much as we [did] during the last three years." The system boasts an interception rate of over 90% in recent clashes. Despite heavy use, officials deny interceptor shortages, though the Defense Ministry plans to accelerate production. Germany is currently the sole foreign buyer of Arrow, with other nations expressing interest amid global efforts to strengthen ballistic missile defenses.