JERUSALEM (VINnews)— Israel’s Ministry of Defense, through the Directorate of Defence Research & Development (“Homa”) in cooperation with the US Missile Defense Agency (MDA) and Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, has successfully completed a series of tests of the advanced David’s Sling air defense system.

The  series of tests, based on operational lessons learned from recent combat, included a range of challenging scenarios reflecting existing and emerging threats. Officials said the successful trials mark another technological and operational breakthrough in upgrading the system, which demonstrated strong performance during the war in June, with multiple successful interceptions that saved lives and prevented significant damage.

David’s Sling successfully completes a complex test series as part of its future threat readiness upgrade.
Led by the Israel Ministry of Defense’s IMDO, together with the U.S. Missile Defense Agency and Rafael, the campaign simulated advanced scenarios against rockets, ballistic… pic.twitter.com/Bk9voXGOig

— Rafael Advanced Defense Systems (@RAFAELdefense) February 11, 2026

David’s Sling serves as a central layer in Israel’s multi-tiered air defense array, which also includes the Arrow systems, Iron Dome, and Iron Beam, the laser-based system recently delivered to the Israeli Air Force. The system’s development is led by the Ministry of Defense via the Homa Directorate, in partnership with Israel’s defense industries and the US Missile Defense Agency.

Rafael is the prime contractor for David’s Sling. Israel Aerospace Industries, through its Elta division, developed the MMR radar, while Elbit Systems developed the command-and-control system.

Moshe Patel, head of the Homa Directorate, said: “During the war, and particularly during Operation ‘Am KeLavi,’ Homa personnel carried out real-time adjustments and modifications that had a dramatic impact on the capabilities of the Israeli Air Force’s air defense systems, especially David’s Sling. As part of our planned development programs, we conducted an extensive series of tests examining future capabilities and responses to multiple and diverse threats. The series concluded with full success and enables a significant upgrade to Israel’s air defense array.”

Rafael CEO Yoav Turgeman said: “Against the backdrop of evolving threats, Rafael is proud to successfully conclude this advanced series of tests of David’s Sling, which incorporated new capabilities across a wide range of challenging scenarios. The system is continuously upgraded and adapted, and this latest campaign once again demonstrates that David’s Sling is among the best air defense systems in the world. I thank Rafael’s employees for their ongoing dedication to Israel’s security, as clearly reflected in this project, and our partners at the Homa Directorate, the MDA, and the Israeli Air Force for their role in this success.”