Kenya buy ‘Israeli’ air defense system in $26 million deal

• Kenya has acquired the advanced SPYDER air defense system from ‘Israel’ for $26 million, seeking to counter regional threats from Al-Shabaab and Daesh, particularly their use of low-cost drones and electronic warfare.
• The mobile, all-weather platform utilizes Python-5 and Derby missiles, providing 360-degree engagement capabilities against aircraft, helicopters, and precision-guided munitions with a range of up to 100 kilometers.

Kenya has received the advanced SPYDER air defense system from 'Israel's' Rafael Advanced Defense Systems. The acquisition is valued at approximately KSh 3.4 billion (equivalent to $26 million)

Delivered in mid-December 2025, the system arrived via a cargo flight operated by the ‘Israeli’ Ministry of Defense, with the deal financed through a bilateral loan backed by the ‘Israeli’ government.

The transaction covers one reinforced battery of the medium-range variant of the SPYDER system.

The SPYDER, an acronym for Surface-to-air PYthon and DERby, is a mobile, all-weather missile platform designed for rapid deployment and 360-degree engagement.

Manufactured by Rafael, it integrates advanced radar technology from ‘Israel’ Aerospace Industries' Elta division, including the EL/M-2106 ATAR for short-range operations and the EL/M-2084 Multi-Mission Radar for medium-range configurations.

Key features include dual missile types: the Python-5, an infrared-homing short-range interceptor with imaging seekers and infrared counter-countermeasures, and the Derby, a beyond-visual-range active radar-homing missile with fire-and-forget capabilities.

The system supports lock-on-before-launch and lock-on-after-launch modes, enabling it to neutralize a wide array of threats, such as aircraft, helicopters, drones, and precision-guided munitions, with ranges extending up to 100 kilometers in extended configurations.

Kenya's decision to procure the SPYDER stems from escalating regional instability, including threats from groups like Al-Shabaab and Daesh-affiliated groups who have increasingly employed low-cost drones and electronic warfare tactics.