Hats off to Israelis for winning Irish Army helmet deal
Lavery
AN ISRAELI company has beaten off rivals worldwide to supply the Irish Army with helmets.
Israel, which has a booming arms industry, collaborated with an Irish partner to win the ?2.5m competition to supply 12,000 ballistic helmets to the Defence Forces.
The company, Rabintex Industries Ltd, a key player in the Israeli market for bullet-proof vests, glass and helmets, won the contract along with Daniel Technologies of Dublin.
Stephen Roe Managing Director, Daniel Technologies said the test and evaluation programme for the contract was very tough and they were delighted their helmet system was chosen from so many global competitors.
A newsletter from the Dublin Embassy, along with news of the latest suicide bombings, says the company won the Irish Defence Forces tender after defining the European market as a "strategic one".
The Army previously ordered Israeli helmets in the 1980s when they were engaged in Lebanon, often in confrontation with Israeli-backed militia.
Combat
Shachar Bernhard, Rabintex International marketing director, said it was proof of Rabintex' commitment to developing the most advanced personal protection equipment. Daniel Technologies, which is a wholly-owned Irish company, has also recently been awarded a contract to supply parachute systems to the Army.
Delivery of the new helmets for the Army will begin in early 2007.
The Department of Defence is known for selecting some of the best equipment available - Irish soldiers have been equipped with Austrian rifles, British artillery guns, and French helicopters. Much of the new equipment replaces equipment that is 40 years old.
New equipment in the pipeline includes four Italian A-139 helicopters (?49m); 15 Swiss Mowag armoured vehicles (?36.5m); 400 Belgian GPMG machineguns; 1400 9mm pistols, and 6,000 sets of body armour.
