DAVID'S SLING

David's Sling / Stunner

Medium-to-Long Range Air Defense System

🇮🇱

Israel

Middle East

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OVERVIEW

MANUFACTURERRafael Advanced Defense Systems / Raytheon

YEAR INTRODUCED2017

UNITS IN SERVICE4

UNITS PRODUCED—

UNIT COST$50.0M

DESCRIPTION

David's Sling fills the critical middle tier of Israel's layered air defense architecture — bridging the short-range Iron Dome and the exo-atmospheric Arrow-3. Developed jointly with Raytheon using advanced two-color infrared seeker technology, it engages ballistic missiles, large rockets, and cruise missiles at ranges of 40-300 km. During Iran's direct attacks on Israel in 2024, David's Sling batteries worked alongside Arrow-3 and US-provided Patriot systems to intercept the Iranian missile barrage. Its combat record against Iranian Emad missiles has been one of the most consequential tests of missile defense technology in history.

SPECIFICATIONS

TECHNICAL SPECS

Intercept Altitude

40–300 km

Intercept Range

40–300 km

Target Speed

Mach 7.5 (3,000 m/s)

Interceptor Missile

Stunner (two-stage, hit-to-kill)

Radar System

ELM-2084 MMR (Multi-Mission Radar)

Mobile Units

Truck-mounted launcher (4 interceptors per launcher)

Role

Mid-tier: above Iron Dome, below Arrow-3. Designed for tactical ballistic missiles and cruise missiles.

Cost Per Interceptor

$1.0M

COMBAT RECORD

COMBAT HISTORY

First combat use against Syrian ballistic missiles (July 2018). Extensively used during Iranian attacks on Israel in April and October 2024 — intercepted dozens of Emad and Shahab-class ballistic missiles.

GLOBAL DEPLOYMENT

OPERATORS

Operator data coming soon

SAME CATEGORY

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