Irsaely state-owned aerospace giant Israel Aircraft Industries, better known as IAI, announced that it is integrating offensive and defensive systems, to enhance the ‘Sa’ar 6’ corvette’s capabilities.
In a release, IAI said the integration of Barak MX Interceptors will usher the Israeli Navy into a new technological era, under the guidance of Israel’s Ministry of Defense (IMoD) and the Israeli Defense Forces.
AI’s Barak MX interceptors along with IAI’s complete naval combat suite will provide advanced defense systems to the Israel Navy’s Sa’ar 6 corvettes. The systems will be used to protect Israel’s exclusive economic zone and strategic facilities that face diversified threats in the marine arena.
The Barak MX system was chosen after it was demonstrated to meet the operational requirements and future challenges faced by the Israeli Navy.
The Sa’ar 6-class corvette is a series of four German-made corvettes ordered for the Israeli Navy in May 2015.
Sa’ar 6 has a displacement of almost 1,900 tons at full load and is 90 m (295 ft 3 in) long. It is armed with an Oto Melara 76 mm main gun, two Typhoon Weapon Stations, 32 vertical launch cells for Barak-8 surface-to-air missiles, 20 cells for the C-Dome point defense system, 16 anti-ship missiles, the EL/M-2248 MF-STAR AESA radar, and two 324 mm (12.8 in) torpedo launchers. It has hangar space and a platform able to accommodate a medium-class helicopter.