page_title: Defense industry of Israel
section_title: Major manufacturers
hierarchical_section_title: Defense industry of Israel / Major manufacturers
caption_attribution_description: AGM-142 Popeye missile
context_page_description: The Defense industry of Israel is a strategically important sector and a large employer, as well as a major supplier of the Israel Defense Forces. Israel is one of the world's major exporters of military equipment, accounting for 10% of the world total in 2007. Three Israeli companies were listed on the 2017 Stockholm International Peace Research Institute index of the world's top 100 arms-producing and military service companies: Elbit Systems, Israel Aerospace Industries and RAFAEL. The Defense industry in Israel is a strategically important sector and a large employer within the country. It is also a major player in the global arms market and is the 6th largest arms exporter in the world as of 2014. Total arms transfer agreements topped $12.9 billion between 2004 and 2011. There are over 150 active defense companies based in the country with combined revenues of more than $3.5 billion annually. Israeli defense equipment exports reached $7 billion in 2012, making it a 20 percent increase from the amount of defense-related exports in 2011. Much of the exports are sold to the United States and Europe.
context_section_description: Israel Military Industries Ltd. (IMI), also referred to as Taas (Hebrew: תעש, התעשייה הצבאית), is an Israeli weapons manufacturer. It manufactures firearms, ammunition and military technology mainly for Israeli security forces (especially Israel's army, the Israel Defense Forces or IDF), although its small arms are very popular throughout the world.
  In 2005, the "Magen" Small Arms Division of IMI was privatized, and named Israel Weapon Industries (IWI). IWI is part of a group of companies that develops and manufactures a wide array of guns and rifles used by armies and law enforcement agencies around the world.
  Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, known as RAFAEL or Rafael, is another large Israeli defense technology company. It was founded as Israel’s National R&D Defense Laboratory for the development of weapons and military technology within the Ministry of Defense; in 2002 it was incorporated as a limited company. Rafael develops and produces weapons, military, and defense technologies for the Israel Defense Forces and for export abroad. All current projects are classified.
caption: Rafael Popeye standoff missile
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