The bulk of Israel’s weapons sales profits come from its air defense systems and components, which facilitate ongoing profits through exports during the ongoing war. One of the biggest weapons contracts signed in 2023 was for the Arrow 3 long-range air defense system, purchased by Germany for $4.3 billion.

Preserving the prestige of Israeli air defense systems is a clear objective for the Israeli government and military. This was evident in their attempts to undermine the role of U.S. air defense systems during Iran’s retaliatory attack against Israel in April, dubbed Operation True Promise. Despite reports indicating that the U.S. downed the majority of Iran’s missiles and drones, Israeli media focused on the apparent failure of American air defense systems.