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Israel Israel Aerospace Industries
Arrow 3
An Israeli exo-atmospheric interceptor developed jointly with the United States to counter long-range ballistic missiles above the atmosphere, including in space. It forms the top tier of Israel's multi-layer missile-defense architecture.
In service since 2017 · 2 operator countries
Compiled from public sources ·primary reference ↗ ·last verified 2026-07-02
2,400
km range
100,000
m altitude
14
targets
800
km radar
💲 ≈ $2,200,000, Widely reported at $2 to 3 million per interceptor based on 2025 and 2026 Israeli Defense Ministry procurement reporting, with some export-context figures running as high as $4 million. This figure falls within the well-documented range for domestic Israeli procurement.
Procurement snapshot
Availability & export
Israeli export-licensed
Israeli MoD (DECA/SIBAT) licensing; active export programme.
Channel: Direct commercial / G2G
Fielded & proven
Limited · 2 operators
In service since 2017. Status: active.
Lifecycle cost (est.)
$5.5M – $7.7M
Acquisition is only ~30% of lifecycle cost, operating & support dominate over ~25 yrs. Rough 2.5–3.5× the unit price. How we estimate this →
Interoperability
No standardised NATO calibre / datalink detected in public specs.
Derived guidance from public data, export regime by country of origin, lifecycle from the GAO ~30% acquisition rule. Verify eligibility, pricing and offsets with the manufacturer and your acquisition authority.
Full specifications
Performance
Speed, range, altitude and engagement capability.
| Max speed (Mach) Maximum speed as a multiple of the speed of sound. Mach 2+ is typical for air-superiority fighters. | 9 Mach |
|---|---|
| Engagement range Maximum distance at which an air-defense system can intercept targets. Higher covers more airspace. | 2,400 km |
| Engagement altitude Maximum target altitude the system can reach. | 100,000 m |
| Simultaneous targets Number of targets the system can engage at once. Higher resists saturation attacks. | 14 |
Firepower
Armament, payload and guidance.
| Main armament Primary weapon: main gun, cannon or missile type. | Arrow 3 exo-atmospheric interceptor |
|---|---|
| Warhead type Blast-fragmentation, shaped charge (HEAT), penetrator, thermobaric or nuclear-capable. | Hit-to-kill kinetic |
| Guidance How the weapon finds its target: inertial, GPS/GLONASS, active/semi-active radar, infrared, laser, TV, wire. | Hit-to-kill, Inertial + datalink |
Sensors & avionics
Radar, sensor suite and datalinks.
| Radar Primary radar. AESA (active electronically scanned array) is the current state of the art. | Green Pine / Super Green Pine radar |
|---|---|
| Radar range Published detection range against a typical fighter-sized target. Higher sees first. | 800 km |
| Datalink Network connectivity: Link 16, MADL, national datalinks. Enables cooperative engagement. | Citron Tree battle management center |
Program
Cost, production scale and operators.
| Unit cost Approximate flyaway/unit cost where public. Defense pricing varies hugely by contract, offsets and configuration. Lower is cheaper. | $2,200,000 |
|---|---|
| Operator countries Number of countries operating the system. More operators means broader support ecosystem. | 2 |
Specifications compiled from public Israel Aerospace Industries and reference sources ↗. Published defense figures are approximations, treat comparisons as directional. Last verified 2026-07-02.
Compare with rivals
See how it stacks up
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Arrow 3 vs
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HQ-9 Frequently asked questions
What is the engagement range of the Israel Aerospace Industries Arrow 3? +
The Israel Aerospace Industries Arrow 3 has a maximum engagement range of 2,400 km.
What is the main armament of the Israel Aerospace Industries Arrow 3? +
The Israel Aerospace Industries Arrow 3's primary weapon is the Arrow 3 exo-atmospheric interceptor.
What is the Israel Aerospace Industries Arrow 3 used for? +
The Israel Aerospace Industries Arrow 3 is a air defense system typically used for air defense.
How many countries operate the Israel Aerospace Industries Arrow 3? +
The Israel Aerospace Industries Arrow 3 is operated by 2 countries.
How much does the Israel Aerospace Industries Arrow 3 cost? +
The Israel Aerospace Industries Arrow 3 has an approximate unit cost of 2,200,000 USD. Defense pricing varies by contract, offsets and configuration, treat this as directional.
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Related coverage
Arrow 3 in the news
Article guide · Aug 14, 2026
Only 4 of 57 Air Defenses Claim to Reach Space
Of 57 air-defense systems that publish an altitude ceiling, only 4 claim to reach above the Kármán line, the internationally recognized edge of space.
News technology · Aug 6, 2026
Israel Tests Arrow Upgrade Built From Its War With Iran
IMDO, the US Missile Defense Agency and IAI fired an upgraded Arrow interceptor incorporating AI and combat data from Israel's Iran war.
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Radar Range vs. Engagement Range in Air Defense
44 air-defense systems publish both a radar range and an engagement range. The gap spans 10x to a reversed 0.3x, showing which batteries fight alone.
comparison · Jul 26, 2026
What 'Range' Means on an Air-Defense Spec Sheet
Across 68 air-defense systems in our database, published range spans 3 km to 3,000 km, a 1,000x gap that is three missions, not one spec race.
Article guide · Jul 16, 2026
The 10 Best Ballistic Missile Defense Systems 2026
A 10-to-1 countdown of the best ballistic missile defense systems of 2026, ranked on real intercept record, envelope, export scale and maturity.
Article industry · Jul 14, 2026
Why Air-Defense Cost Figures Don't Compare
Only 12 of 70 air-defense systems in the database publish a cost, and those figures price different things: single rounds vs whole batteries.
News procurement · Jul 13, 2026
Germany adds second Arrow-3 exo-atmospheric battery in Bavaria
The Bundeswehr will build a radar site at Kaufbeuren and launchers at Fliegerhorst Lechfeld, its second Arrow-3 site after Holzdorf went operational in December 2025.
Article comparison · Jul 5, 2026
Iron Dome vs David's Sling vs Arrow 3: Israel's Layers
Israel's layered air defense spans three tiers: Iron Dome at 70 km, David's Sling at 300 km, and Arrow 3 at 2,400 km for exo-atmospheric intercepts.