Elbit Systems (Nasdaq: ESLT; TASE: ESLT) announced today that it has been awarded, under an agreement between the Israeli Ministry of Defense and the Dutch Ministry of Defense, a $305 million contract to supply the Precision Artillery Launch System (PULS). Missile systems of the Royal Netherlands Army. The contract will be executed over a period of five years.
Defense Minister Yoav Gallant approved the agreement, which was led by the Director General of the Defense Ministry, General (res.) Eyal Zamir, and which was signed in the Netherlands by the head of SPAT (the ministry’s International Defense Cooperation Directorate), Brig. General (res.) Jair Kolas with the Commander of the Royal Netherlands Army Land Forces.
Under the contract, Elbit Systems will supply 20 PULS artillery missile systems integrated into selected COMMIT (formerly DMO) truck platform, as well as missiles and missiles of various ranges, training and support services.
Elbit’s PULS system is a system designed with an open architecture approach that supports future growth, the ability to integrate legacy C4i solutions (command, control, communications, computing, and intelligence) and the flexibility to adapt to specific customer requirements.
“PULS provides a comprehensive and cost-effective solution, supporting the launch of both free-flying and precision-guided missiles and missiles with a range of 12 km up to 300 km. The PULS launcher is a fully adaptable launch system that can be mounted on a wide range of wheeled platforms and tracked, providing a significant reduction in maintenance and training costs for aging fleets,” states the Elbit Systems announcement.
This is the first defense export agreement between Israel and the Netherlands, and one of the largest with a European country in recent years. The Netherlands has been a member of NATO since 1949. The Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 made it clear to the members of the alliance, especially in Europe, the need to modernize their armed forces and weapons.
The sale of the PULS system to the Netherlands could herald similar deals with other European countries in the near future. Meanwhile, Russia is signing arms agreements of all kinds with Iran, and relations between the two countries continue to grow closer.
Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said: “The defense establishment continues to be a source of national pride and success for the State of Israel. Thanks to the defense solutions developed and produced by our defense companies, we are strengthening our relations with other countries, strengthening our security and strengthening Israel’s standing. I welcome the important agreement signed with the Dutch Ministry of Defense, and I I am confident that we will continue to deepen the relations between our two countries.”
“The acquisition of the PULS solution from Elbit Systems will enhance the Royal Netherlands Army’s ability to provide effective indirect fire support. It will also provide interoperability with NATO customers who have acquired these systems,” said Bezhalel (Butzi) Machlis, CEO of Elbit Systems. This The contract also validates Elbit Systems’ cutting-edge military technologies and our strong partnerships with NATO countries across Europe.”
Elbit Systems’ share price rose nearly 1% on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange.
Published by Globes, Israel business news – en.globes.co.il – on May 18, 2023.
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