Israeli Ministry of Defense Missile Defense Organization (MDO) head Yair Ramati has been dismissed from his post due to grave security violations. Ramati has served in the position for four years in which he has overseen Israel's three major missile defense programs: Arrow (long-range); David's Sling (medium-range); and Iron Dome (short range). Ramati was fired are highly classified documents relating to his work were found on his personal computer.
A Ministry of Defense statement said, "Grave information regarding a security violation was recently discovered, which does not make it possible for Ramati to continue fulfilling his role at the Ministry of Defense. Further handling of the matter has been passed onto the relevant authorities.
The Iron Dome, David's Sling and Arrow programs were all moved forward during Ramati's term of office. In recent weeks there have been successful trials of the Arrow and David's Sling defense missile systems which were described by the Ministry of Defense as "Exceptional achievements, on a global scale, for active multi-layered defense systems." Today's Ministry of Defense statement said, "Ramati was of great merit and made a major contribution to the defense system and developing multi-layered defense systems. We wish him every success for the future."
A graduate of the Technion, Israel Institute of Technology and a colonel in the IDF, he was a senior executive at Israel Aerospace Industries Ltd. (IAI) (TASE: ARSP.B1), before assuming his post as head of the MDO in 2012.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on December 27, 2015
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