* Israel: European demand for Israeli air defence products

rises

* Official says new contracts are expected within weeks

* Defence ministry reports huge interest in Iron Dome system

By Sabine Siebold

BERLIN, June 15 (Reuters) - Israel expects more orders for

air and missile defence systems from European countries soon,

with at least one contract expected within weeks, a senior

official at Israel's defence ministry said.

Demand continues to soar as European nations perceive a

greater threat from Russia and seek to bolster their air

defences, the official said, driving interest in systems

designed to counter intermediate-range ballistic missiles and

short-range rockets.

"There's a huge interest from Europe, from Western Europe,"

said Moshe Patel, the director and general manager of the

Israeli Missile Defense Organization, on the sidelines of last

week's Berlin airshow, declining to specify the nations

involved.

Israel has sold its air-defence system, Arrow - built to

intercept intermediate-range ballistic missiles like Russia's

Oreshnik - to Germany. It was developed by Israel Aerospace

Industries (IAI) in cooperation with the U.S. Missile Defense

Agency.

Finland has bought a shorter-range system called David's

Sling, which is designed to shoot down ballistic missiles fired

from 100 km to 200 km (62 to 124 miles) away, as European

nations brace for potential aggression by Russia. Moscow has

denied that it intends to be aggressive.

"It's mainly (driven) by what's happening between Russia and

Ukraine," Patel said. "Of course, they're looking very carefully

what is happening in Iran and whatever will be good against

Russia could be good for Iran. Whatever they're doing, it will

be good for all those kinds of threats."

Asked whether European countries were interested in Arrow or

David's Sling, he said there was interest in the Iron Dome as

well, a system designed to take out short-range threats.

"It's a huge advantage to those nations that have enemies

right on their borders, this is the main capability, and the

ability to protect a city, protect (a) strategic area," Patel

said.

Asked about when Israel might book further orders for any of

the systems mentioned, he said one contract was expected to land

within the next few weeks.

"And there are discussions that, maybe by the end of the

year, we're going to hear about more nations," he said. "So, it

looks like the decision making by those nations, it's expedite."

Patel declined to elaborate on the expected volume of the

contracts, only pointing out the talks were "about not minor

numbers."