On Tuesday, 2 December 2025, the Israeli company Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) announced that it had concluded an agreement with the command of the Royal Thai Air Force (Kong Thab Akat Thai, RTAF) for the supply of advanced Barak MX air defense system sets.
Photos: IAI
According to the press release, under the agreement IAI will provide advanced air defense capabilities, enhancing the protection of Thailand’s airspace against tactical ballistic missiles and aerodynamic targets, including unmanned aerial vehicles, fighter aircraft, and cruise missiles, at ranges of up to 150 km, which indicates that Thailand has selected the variant equipped with extended-range (ER) interceptor missiles.
IAI President and CEO, Boaz Levy:
“This contract award represents a significant milestone for IAI in East Asia, with Thailand being a key and influential country in the region. The Barak MX air defense system will provide Thailand with its first ever medium-range air defense capability, offering comprehensive protection against both ballistic and aerial threats. The Barak MX was selected after successfully meeting and exceeding the stringent requirements of the Thai Air Force, offering advanced network-centric capabilities and interoperability with local command-and-control systems. We are proud to deepen our collaboration and stand alongside Thailand, as it enhances its defense architecture with proven, next-generation capabilities“.
Although the value of the contract has not been disclosed, according to Asian Military Review it amounts to 3.44 billion THB / 108 million USD.
A single Barak MX system set consists of three mobile missile launchers, each carrying eight ready-to-fire interceptor missiles of three types: MRAD (short–medium range) with a range of up to 35 km, LRAD (long range) with a range of up to 70 km, and the ER variant selected by the user. Compared to the Barak 8 system from which it is derived, the set has received a longer-range multifunction MMR radar and a new air defense management system. The system is complemented by transport-loader vehicles and logistical support vehicles.
For the Thai user, all components will be integrated on highly mobile platforms, enabling rapid deployment and operational readiness in a short time. In addition, to ensure comprehensive local support, IAI has partnered with Thai Aviation Industries (TAI) to provide in-service support for the future systems and to undertake additional tasks.
To date, the Barak MX has been exported to Morocco, Colombia, and India (for approximately 1.8 billion USD), as well as to Azerbaijan and Cyprus, and it has also been selected by Slovakia. The naval variant, Barak Magen, is in service aboard Israeli Sa’ar 6 missile corvettes, while the land-based variant, Barak, has entered service with the Israeli Air Defense Corps and made its combat debut on 19 June this year. The system was unsuccessfully offered to Denmark.
