Barak 8 missile – how big is the market ?

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The Barak-8 missile is without any doubt one of the best air defense systems in its class, but sometimes even such a system needs a boost that cannot be supplied by the booster that takes the missile to its target.

The recent developments in Eastern Europe, mainly the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine, have put air defenses on the top priority list of some countries in the region.

All of a sudden, aerial threats seem very real in a region that was perceived as very stable relatively to some other regions of the world.

And that explains the surge in interest in the Israel Barak-8 air defense system that compared to other Israeli developed weapon systems got less publicity in recent years.

This system developed by Israel aerospace industries (IAI) can serve to protect ground and sea forces is considered as the Israeli equal to the American Patriot air defense system

According to press reports in India, the Barak-8 is a joint Indian-Israeli project and the Indian navy will equip its ships with it.

These reports say that the two countries evenly split the development cost. The same reports claimed that Azerbaijan has also bought Barak 8.

The Barak 8 is a 275 kg missile with a 60 kg warhead and a range of 70 kilometers.

And now – to the changes in the eastern European region. Poland has recently issued an RFI for an advanced air defense system for its navy ships and the Barak-8 is in the competition.

Other countries in the region are also showing interest in the two versions of the system.

When new threats emerge or when old ones are being “refreshed” some defense shopping lists are being reshuffled.

But as always in such situations the sales of such a system are not only a result of the operational need but of politics and that is a big question mark.