Czechia Showcases Israeli SPYDER Air Defense System at NATO Days Event
Czechia showcased its Israeli-developed SPYDER air defense system by Rafael at the NATO Days event in Ostrava, marking a milestone in NATO defense cooperation.
Czechia showcased its national air defense system based on Rafael's Israeli SPYDER system during the prestigious NATO Days event in Ostrava. The milestone highlights defense cooperation as the system completes integration with NATO standards.
NATO Days Exhibition
Attended by approximately 200,000 participants, the event marked the 25th anniversary of NATO Days and the Czech Air Force Day. Czech leaders and representatives from the state-owned Rafael company celebrated the milestone alongside a displayed SPYDER battery.
Czechia became the first NATO member state to acquire a full end-to-end Israeli air defense system following a 2021 intergovernmental agreement led by the Israeli Ministry of Defense. Two of the four acquired SPYDER batteries are already deployed in Czechia, with production fully completed.
Leadership Remarks
Attendees included Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš, Defense Minister Jaromír Zůna, military officials, and Rafael Chairman Yuval Steinitz. The SPYDER program provides comprehensive short-to-long-range air defense capabilities tailored to Czech and NATO standards.
We are proud to deliver to Czechia the first system entering operational service, said Rafael CEO Yoav Turgeman. This milestone reflects trust in our systems and their relevance to modern air defense challenges.
Future developments may include national C2 control capabilities, ballistic missile defense, anti-drone interceptors, and laser-based solutions.
