The Israel Defense Ministry’s Defense Procurement Directorate (DPD), in cooperation with the Israel Ground Forces, has signed a 15-year contract with Elbit Systems to establish and operate an advanced training center for the use of weapons produced by the Haifa-based defense firm, the Israel Ministry of Defense (IMOD) announced on Monday
The cost of the project is estimated at 600 million shekels. Elbit said the contract is worth 170 million U.S. dollars.
The new center will support the operational integration of the Ro’em (“Thunder”) self-propelled artillery system and the “LAHAV” (PULS) precision rocket launcher system into the IDF Artillery Corps, Elbit said on Monday.
The “Ro’em,” or SIGMA, is a 155mm, self-propelled howitzer with automatic shell loading capability and Iron Beam laser system mounted on a truck. “SIGMA is capable of automatically selecting and loading the required projectile, propellant and fuse and laying the gun to optimally engage targets,” Elbit said.
The LAHAV rocket system is mounted on U.S.-made HEMTT Oshkosh 8x8 trucks. Its independent sealed launch pods can be mixed and matched enabling a single vehicle to fire different weapon types and calibers.
Deputy Director General and Head of the Defense Procurement Administration Ze’ev Landau said, “The agreement we signed is significant news for strengthening the IDF’s strength and readiness, and it directly reflects the Ministry of Defense’s strategy to enhance operational readiness, strengthen Israeli industry, and ensure a long-term technological and logistical response to the field forces.”
