Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Ltd, Israeli developer and manufacturer of air, sea, land and space systems, reached an agreement for acquisition of 49 per cent of PineTelecom, a South Korean communication technology developer.

Rafael and PineTelecom will closely cooperate in the design, development and manufacturing of high-end communications systems for the Korean military, including technology transfer. Rafael and PineTelecom are already working together in the framework of several local defence programmes.

As part of the agreement, PineTelecom will continue to operate as an independent company with engineering and operational collaboration from Rafael, enabling PineTelecom to strengthen its competitiveness in the Korean and international defence communication market and continue offering comprehensive solutions and advanced systems to Korea’s and international defence communication market.

CEO of Rafael, VADM (Retd) Yedidia Yaari said that this agreement is in line with Rafael’s international strategy to widen partnerships with local industries. “Today’s signing marks our strong faith in PineTelecom’s role as a partner in the Korean market. PineTelecom, like Rafael, is a strong believer in the development of holistic systems, rather than individual components. With this common vision, we look forward to sharing our knowledge and expertise with PT.”