Rafael Advanced Defense Systems
Rafael builds Iron Dome, David's Sling, the Spike anti-tank missile family, and the Trophy active protection system — the most operationally tested air defense and protection systems in the contemporary battlefield. The Trophy adoption by the US Army is one of the most significant US-Israeli defense procurement arrangements in recent years.
| Type | State-owned defense corporation |
| Founded | 1948 (as Israel Armament Development Authority); corporatized 2002 |
| Headquarters | Haifa, Israel |
| Owner | Government of Israel |
| CEO | Yoav Tourgeman |
| Employees | ~10,000 |
| 2024 revenue | ~$5.1 billion |
Rafael Advanced Defense Systems is one of the three principal Israeli defense industrial primes, founded in 1948 as the Israel Armament Development Authority and corporatized in 2002 as a government-owned corporation. The institution runs across air defense, missiles, electronic warfare, naval systems, and adjacent defense-industrial domains, with substantial international export business.
The Rafael portfolio includes several of the most internationally recognized Israeli defense capabilities. The Iron Dome air defense system, developed jointly with the Israeli Ministry of Defense and the US Department of Defense, has been the most operationally tested short-range air defense system globally over the past fifteen years and anchors the entry-tier of Israel's multi-layered missile defense architecture. The David's Sling system (developed jointly with Raytheon) covers medium-range air defense between Iron Dome and the Arrow upper-tier. The Spike family of anti-tank guided missiles runs across multiple Israeli and international customer programs. The Trophy active protection system for armored vehicles has been adopted by the US Army and multiple international customers.
For Strategic Technology Trade coverage in The Olam, Rafael's export business concentrates substantially across European and Asian markets, with substantial Indian defense business through joint ventures and licensing arrangements. The 2024-2026 European demand surge has materially expanded Rafael's European position. Specific European programs in 2024-2025 have encountered the post-October 7 political environment — Spain's Defense Ministry suspended a reported $300 million Rafael anti-tank missile deal — but the overall European trajectory has remained substantially positive.
The Trophy active protection system US Army adoption is one of the most significant US-Israeli defense procurement arrangements in recent years, with deployment across US armored brigade combat teams.
Read Next in The Olam
- Defense — Pillar
- Strategic Technology Trade — Adjacent pillar
- The Israel-India Technology Corridor — Detail on Rafael-India business
- The Israeli Defense Export Index, First Edition
Sources
Rafael corporate disclosures; SIBAT 2024 Defense Exports Report; SIPRI; Reuters; Globes; Times of Israel; Ynet (Spain suspension); published research. Data current as of Q2 2026.