Israeli defence giant plans Spike missile service centre in Baltic States

Israeli Rafael Advanced Defence Systems is exploring plans to establish a maintenance center for its Spike anti-tank missile systems (ATMS) in the Baltic States, where Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia currently operate the missile systems, Roman Palaria, a Corporate Regional Director for the company, said.

Palaria highlighted the longevity and operational importance of the Spike systems, Caliber.Az reports citing Latvian media.

“These systems have been in service with armies for 20-25 years. If we create such a centre, it means that for at least 25 years it will be provided with work. This is very important precisely for small countries that cannot rely only on their own budget for funding,” Palaria noted.

The proposed maintenance center would not only ensure sustained operational readiness for the Baltic militaries but also stimulate regional defense cooperation and economic activity.

When asked about the possibility of expanding production to include armored personnel carriers (APCs) in the Baltic region, Palaria confirmed that existing subcontractors in Estonia and Latvia are already integrated into Rafael’s supply chain, with procurement volumes steadily increasing. However, he emphasized that advancing to full-scale production would necessitate deeper collaboration at the governmental level, stating, “To take this to the next level will require cooperation at the level of defence ministries.”

Rafael Advanced Defence Systems is an Israeli defence technology company that was founded as the Israeli National R&D Defence Laboratory for the development of weapons and military technologies within the Israeli Ministry of Defence, but was transformed into a company in 2002. Rafael Advanced Defence Systems has developed Israel's Iron Dome mobile air defence system and the Spike missile systems.

By Vafa Guliyeva