Rafael eyes US production of Ice Breaker
Coming to a US factory soon? Rafael is looking into manufacturing partnerships with US companies for its new Ice Breaker missile. (Image: Rafael)
If Rafael can seal a production partnership in the US for Ice Breaker, Israel could use Foreign Military Financing to buy the missile rather than dipping into its own defence budget.
Israeli company Rafael has briefed Lockheed Martin and Raytheon on its recently unveiled Ice Breaker air-launched cruise missile as the first step towards an agreement that would result in the weapon being manufactured in the US.
Shephard understands an agreement with either US company is essential to ensure international sales of the new high-subsonic missile.
One Israeli defence source said that there is another reason to jointly manufacture the missile in the US – it would allow Israel to tap into Foreign Military Financing (FMF) from the US to buy Ice Breaker for the Israeli Air Force.
The proportion of FMF
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