JERUSALEM (VINnews)-Israel has delivered the advanced Barak MX air defense system to Slovakia, completing a €560 million ($600 million) deal signed last year ahead of schedule, the Israeli Defense Ministry said Thursday.

The delivery to the Slovak Air Force significantly bolsters Slovakia’s ability to protect its airspace from a wide range of modern aerial threats, including fighter jets, helicopters, drones, cruise missiles and tactical ballistic missiles, the ministry said in a statement.

“[The delivery] marks a significant enhancement in Slovakia’s ability to defend its airspace against the full spectrum of modern aerial threats … while further reinforcing NATO’s collective security architecture,” the ministry said.

The Barak MX, developed and produced by Israel Aerospace Industries, features three types of interceptor missiles capable of engaging targets at ranges of up to 35, 70 and 150 kilometers (22, 43 and 93 miles).

The contract, valued at approximately NIS 2 billion, was signed in 2024. Israeli officials have highlighted the sale as part of growing defense cooperation between Israel and European NATO members amid heightened regional and global security concerns.

Slovakia becomes one of the latest European nations to acquire Israeli-made air defense technology, joining a list of countries seeking to strengthen their capabilities against evolving aerial threats.