JERUSALEM, Dec. 23 (Xinhua) -- Israel has signed a 582-million-U.S. dollar deal to sell an advanced air defense system to Slovakia, the Israeli Defense Ministry announced on Monday.

The deal, the largest defense export deal between the two countries, "will further strengthen the bond between the two nations and enhance Slovakia's defense capabilities," the ministry said in a statement.

Under the contract, Israel will provide Slovakia with the Barak MX Integrated Air Defense System. Manufactured by state-owned Israel Aerospace Industries, the system is designed to counter "current and future aerial threats," including warplanes, helicopters, drones, cruise missiles, surface-to-air missiles, and tactical ballistic missiles.

The system features three interceptors with operational ranges of 35, 70, and 150 km, each equipped with an active radar seeker, dual-pulse engine, and powerful warhead.

Israeli defense exports have expanded since the onset of Israel's multi-front fighting in Gaza, Lebanon, Iran, Yemen, and Syria in October 2023, according to Eyal Zamir, director-general of the Defense Ministry. He attributed the growth to Israeli technologies "demonstrating their effectiveness on the battlefield."

Zamir described the defense exports as key to Israel's security and economic strength. "They enable us to keep developing the next generations of the world's most advanced combat systems," he said. ■