Denmark decides against IAI air defense system

Denmark, which was considering procuring Israel Aerospace Industries’ (IAI) Barak MX air defense system, has decided to opt for other solutions. This was announced Friday by Danish Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen. “We have decided, in accordance with the recommendations of the military command, to procure the most appropriate capabilities that will ensure rapid development of the capabilities,” Poulsen said. Denmark’s senior military echelon, he added had recommended that “The potential resources that could have been directed to Barak MX be transferred to other initiatives with greater immediate combat capability, including the rapid preparation of air defense capabilities on land.”

Earlier this month, the Danish public broadcasting corporation DR reported that the Israeli proposal for the air defense system appealed to the Danes, due to a “soft kill” solution for drones, which they do not currently have. Now, Denmark has decided to look in another direction, which is not yet clear, due to the current drone threat to Europe.

The Barak MX system supports various radars and launchers for protection against fighter jets, helicopters, UAVs, cruise missiles, surface-to-air missiles and surface-to-surface missiles. The system is based on a smart and operationally proven control center, which allows the integration of additional interceptor missiles: the Barak MRAD interceptor, a short-range, vertically launched, high-speed interceptor, adapted to deal with threats at a range of up to 35 kilometers and includes a radar homing head with only one pulse engine; the Barak LRAD interceptor, a medium-range, vertically launched, high-speed interceptor, adapted to deal with threats at a range of up to 70 kilometers and includes a radar homing head with a dual-pulse engine; the Barak ER interceptor is also vertically launched and includes a booster engine, a dual-pulse rocket engine and an advanced radar homing head. The Barak ER interception range is increased by adding a rocket booster and adjusting the communications and radar capabilities up to a range of 150 kilometers.

The engines for the various interceptors are manufactured by Israeli government-owned company Tomer – the source of national knowhow in the field. The only model in use in the Israeli air defense system is the LRAD, which was used in a test in August. The LRAD was used by Saar 6 small warships, and as part of that test, it was launched from a frigate. During the test, a precision rocket was launched at a target that appeared to be a “strategic asset at sea,” which probably refers to a gas platform, since the Saar 6 ships were uniquely designed to protect Israel’s platforms.

The Barak MX has been sold to many countries worldwide. In Europe, Slovakia procured a system in December 2024 for €560 million. Previously, the system was procured by Azerbaijan in November 2023 for about $1.2 billion and In February 2022, Morocco bought a system for over $500 million.

Published by Globes, Israel business news – en.globes.co.il – on October 26, 2025.

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