Asia

Kenya moves to acquire Israeli Sh1billion air defence system

President William Ruto speaks at Ulinzi Sports Complex in Lang'ata, Nairobi, on April 20, 2024, during a ceremony in honour of the military officers killed in a helicopter (Photo: Luis Tato/AFP)

By Mwangi Maina | Friday, May 3, 2024

The system provides effective protection of valuable assets and first-class defence for forces located in the combat area.

Kenya is poised to acquire advanced air missile defence systems from Israel for Sh1 billion on loan, signalling deepening relations between the two countries.

The Spyder Air Defence System will be delivered by an Israeli state-owned company, Rafael Advanced Defence Systems Ltd, which recently boasted that its equipment can counter ballistic missiles.

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Spyder, according to Defence Industry Europe, is a quick reaction, low-level surface-to-air missile system designed to counter attacks by aircraft, helicopters, UAVs, and precision-guided munitions.

"Procurement of quantity one (1) Reinforced Battery of Medium Range Surface to Air Missile System - Spyder Air Defence System," read the Treasury budget documents submitted to parliament on Tuesday projecting fresh loans for the 2024/25 financial year starting July 1 this year.

The system provides effective protection of valuable assets and first-class defence for forces located in the combat area.

However, this move occurs amidst controversy, with Israel facing accusations of genocide in Gaza and the African Union calling for member states to sever all trade links with the Middle-East nation.

In February, the AU expressed its full support for Palestine in the ongoing war in Gaza.

"AU further requests member states to end all direct and indirect trade, scientific, and cultural exchanges with the State of Israel," read a declaration from the leaders' summit.

This decision also coincides with increased threats posed by Al Shabaab, particularly in areas like Lamu and other parts of northeastern Kenya.

Kenya's involvement in Operation Prosperity Guardian, a US-led multinational coalition formed in December 2023 to counter Houthi-led attacks on shipping in the Red Sea, can be perceived as direct support for Israel.

The Houthi movement is blockading Israel in the Red Sea and launching attacks on commercial vessels heading to or related to the country, with the stated purpose of preventing the bombing of Gaza and forcing Israel to let food and medicine into the strip.

More on Spyder's open architecture

Spyder's open architecture allows external components to be easily integrated and flexibly combined, affording different configurations with various ranges and capabilities based on customer needs and priorities.

Its autonomous capabilities can detect threats while on the move and enable a 360° launch within seconds of the target being declared hostile, in all-weather, multi-launch, and net-centric capabilities.

All the Spyder systems have multiple target engagement capabilities for handling saturation attacks.

Israel’s air defence

Israel maintains a sophisticated and multi-layer air defence network, which, since the October 7 attacks, has continued shielding the country's nearly 9,000 square miles of territory.