Latest news with #RafaelAdvancedDefenseSystems
ABC News
28-07-2025
- Business
- ABC News
Protesters disrupt Bisalloy Steel operations, opposing Israel exports
Protesters have disrupted operations at a Wollongong plant which makes armoured steel in an escalation of protest activity over exports to Israel. Up to 100 protesters used signs and camp equipment to block two main gates at Bisalloy Steel in Unanderra on Sunday night. Bisalloy Steel is Australia's only manufacturer of quenched and tempered steel plates suitable for armour applications. It has previously supplied Israeli arms company, Rafael Advanced Defense Systems. Protesters said they were participating in the action because they believed Bisalloy's steel trade with Israel was aiding the Israeli Defence Force, making the company complicit in the killing of civilians. In a statement to the ABC, a Bisalloy spokesperson said the company only export its product "with the appropriate government approvals". "[Bisalloy] does not manufacture steel products for the use in bullets, missiles or similar weapons," it said. Protest organiser and Palestinian woman, Safaa Rayan, said anticipated shift change overs at 11pm and 7am did not proceed, with no workers attempting to access or leave the site. "It's now 7:02am," Ms Rayan said outside the factory on Monday. The company did not confirm if it altered planned work as a result of the protests. The protest came amid deteriorating conditions for Palestinians in Gaza recent weeks, with major aid agencies sounding the alarm about mass starvation, prompting Israel to open corridors for aid. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Sunday said Israel was "quite clearly" breaching international law. Bisalloy moved its annual general meeting online in October last year in response to the previous protests at its Unanderra site. In a video of the AGM posted online by financial journalist Stephen Mayne, Bisalloy Steel chief executive Rowan Melrose said sales to Israeli companies over the past three years made up between 0.6 and 1.9 per cent of the company's revenue. "I also will state that we do not manufacture steel for munitions," he told investors. The company did not confirm if it had existing contracts with Israeli companies, except to say its products were sold "both in Australia and internationally". Picket co-organiser Jeremy Kerbel, who last year was arrested during a sit-in at the site, said protesters were demanding the company cease trade with Israel. "A lot of people from across the Illawarra have come here to say that Bisalloy is doing the unthinkable — aiding a genocide — and we want them to stop," he said. The Israeli government has been facing genocide allegations brought by South Africa in the International Court of Justice, but strongly denied its actions in Gaza were genocidal. Arthur Truman and Nicole Milinkovic travelled from Campbelltown to attend the protest. "It was important for us to make even just the littlest bit of impact," Ms Milinkovic said. Long-time Wollongong resident Angela Scott camped out with her partner. She said it was her third time picketing the company. "I think this is the most important issue of our times," she said. Ms Rayan said she was proud of the community for continuing to apply pressure on the company. "I am so proud of my community for coming out, for supporting this picket, for standing with the people of Palestine in saying 'people over profits'," she said.
ABC News
28-07-2025
- Business
- ABC News
Protestors disrupt Bisalloy Steel operations, opposing Israel exports
Protesters have disrupted operations at a Wollongong plant which makes armoured steel in an escalation of protest activity over exports to Israel. Up to 100 protesters used signs and camp equipment to block two main gates at Bisalloy Steel in Unanderra on Sunday night. Bisalloy Steel is Australia's only manufacturer of quenched and tempered steel plates suitable for armour applications. It has previously supplied Israeli arms company, Rafael Advanced Defense Systems. Protesters said they were participating in the action because they believed Bisalloy's steel trade with Israel was aiding the Israeli Defence Force, making the company complicit in the killing of civilians. In a statement to the ABC, a Bisalloy spokesperson said the company only export its product "with the appropriate government approvals". "[Bisalloy] does not manufacture steel products for the use in bullets, missiles or similar weapons," it said. Protest organiser and Palestinian woman, Safaa Rayan, said anticipated shift change overs at 11pm and 7am did not proceed, with no workers attempting to access or leave the site. "It's now 7:02am," Ms Rayan said outside the factory on Monday. The company did not confirm if it altered planned work as a result of the protests. The protest came amid deteriorating conditions for Palestinians in Gaza recent weeks, with major aid agencies sounding the alarm about mass starvation, prompting Israel to open corridors for aid. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Sunday said Israel was "quite clearly" breaching international law. Bisalloy moved its annual general meeting online in October last year in response to the previous protests at its Unanderra site. In a video of the AGM posted online by financial journalist Stephen Mayne, Bisalloy Steel chief executive Rowan Melrose said sales to Israeli companies over the past three years made up between 0.6 and 1.9 per cent of the company's revenue. "I also will state that we do not manufacture steel for munitions," he told investors. The company did not confirm if it had existing contracts with Israeli companies, except to say its products were sold "both in Australia and internationally". Picket co-organiser Jeremy Kerbel, who last year was arrested during a sit-in at the site, said protesters were demanding the company cease trade with Israel. "A lot of people from across the Illawarra have come here to say that Bisalloy is doing the unthinkable — aiding a genocide — and we want them to stop," he said. The Israeli government has been facing genocide allegations brought by South Africa in the International Court of Justice, but strongly denied its actions in Gaza were genocidal. Arthur Truman and Nicole Milinkovic travelled from Campbelltown to attend the protest. "It was important for us to make even just the littlest bit of impact," Ms Milinkovic said. Long-time Wollongong resident Angela Scott camped out with her partner. She said it was her third time picketing the company. "I think this is the most important issue of our times," she said. Ms Rayan said she was proud of the community for continuing to apply pressure on the company. "I am so proud of my community for coming out, for supporting this picket, for standing with the people of Palestine in saying 'people over profits'," she said.
India.com
28-07-2025
- Business
- India.com
IAF gets BIG boost, Rafael's Ice Breaker Missile emerges as a game-changer, IAF and LCH Prachand will now…, Bangladesh, China, Pakistan to…
New Delhi: Rafael Advanced Defense Systems has said that its cutting-edge ICE BREAKER precision-guided missile system can also be seamlessly integrated onto the Indian Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) 'Prachand'. Talking to Israel's premier defense technology company said that the missiles significantly enhanced the helicopter's offensive capabilities. According to RAFAEL officials, a feasibility study has been successfully conducted to assess compatibility with helicopter platforms. While the IAF has already received the ICE BREAKER as part of a broader weapons offering from RAFAEL, sources in the Indian Air Force have told that a formal decision on its induction is yet to be taken. Here are some of the key features of ICE BREAKER: The ICE BREAKER is a long-range, autonomous, multi-platform missile system The Ice Breaker is designed to engage high-value land and naval targets with precision and survivability. It weights approximately 400 kg The missile is exceptionally lightweight for its class and boasts a range of 300 km, making it suitable for fighter jets like the Rafale and MiG-29K It is also suitable for rotary-wing platforms such as the LCH and future Indian Multi-Role Helicopter (IMRH). Meanwhile, the Indian Navy too has been offered the ICE BREAKER for its carrier-based fleet of MiG-29K and Rafale M fighters, expanding the potential for cross-service interoperability of the weapon. The ICE BREAKER's state-of-the-art electro-optical and GPS guidance systems enable precise targeting even in GPS-denied environments. Its ability to launch multi-directional attacks allows it to effectively engage both moving maritime targets and fortified land-based infrastructure. This capability would greatly enhance the operational effectiveness of the LCH in high-threat areas like the Line of Actual Control (LAC), where long-range standoff strikes with minimal exposure are critical for mission success.
Reuters
22-07-2025
- Business
- Reuters
Romania to buy Israeli anti-aircraft systems for $2.3 bln
July 21 (Reuters) - Romania has signed a framework agreement to buy Israeli-made Shorad-Vshorad anti-aircraft systems for more than 2 billion euros ($2.3 billion), the Romanian defence ministry said on Monday. Under pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump, Romania and other European countries have been looking to increase their defence spending since Russia's full-scale invasion of neighbouring Ukraine in 2022. The European Union and NATO member state, which shares a 650 km (400 mile) border with Ukraine, has had Russian drone fragments fall onto its territory repeatedly over the past two years as Moscow attacks Ukrainian port infrastructure. The framework agreement with the Israeli company Rafael Advanced Defense Systems - maker with U.S. backing of Israel's Iron Dome defence system - provides for the signing of three further contracts, through which six integrated anti-aircraft systems will be acquired. The contracts will also cover training, ammunition and logistical support. The framework agreement will run for seven years, with the first two Vshorad systems to be delivered within three years of the signing of the first of the three further contracts, the ministry said. ($1 = 0.8564 euros)
Arab News
21-07-2025
- Business
- Arab News
Romania to buy Israeli air defense systems for nearly $2.3 billion
BUCHAREST: Romania announced Monday it has signed a deal with an Israeli company to buy six anti-aircraft systems, as the NATO member and Ukraine neighbor looks to boost its defense posture. Since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, Romania has gained in strategic importance and exposure to defense risks, with Russian drone fragments regularly falling on its soil. Under a framework agreement signed with Israeli defense company Rafael Advanced Defense Systems last week, Romania is set to purchase six integrated Shorad-Vshorad anti-aircraft systems for more than two billion euros ($2.3 billion). Israel's Iron Dome air defense system is one of Rafael's best-known products. According to the deal, three further contracts will need to be signed under the framework agreement, which runs for seven years. The procurement deal, which was rubber-stamped by Romania's parliament in 2020, 'aims to equip the army with advanced weapon systems designed to protect against air threats, including drones and cruise missiles,' the eastern European country's defense ministry said in a statement. In a recent interview on public television, Defense Minister Ionut Mosteanu likened the anti-aircraft systems to 'the Iron Dome... when the Iranians attack,' saying 'that's Shorad-Vshorad and it protects Tel Aviv.' In 2024, Romania signed a deal with the United States to purchase 32 F-35 fighter jets for an estimated $6.5 billion. The Black Sea nation has been striving for years to bolster its defense forces and replace its aging Soviet-era equipment.
