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Israel says Arrow Missiles score another successful test
Israel said that it has completed another successful test of its state-of-the-art Arrow Interceptor Missile, a system that has been more than 14 years in development in a joint project with the United States.
Israel said that it has completed another successful test of its state-of-the-art Arrow Interceptor Missile, a system that has been more than 14 years in development in a joint project with the United States.
The successful test is a vital component in maintaining Israel's deterrent ability and will make a significant contribution to the state of Israel's military and strategic strength, Prime minister Ehud Barak said in a statement on Thursday.
The defence ministry, which is also headed by Barak, said initial results indicated that all components of the system performed as planned, destroying a black sparrow missile simulating a scud, or tactical ballistic missile, that was launched towards the Israeli Coast.
The Defence Ministry's Research Chief, General Yitzhak Ben Israel, told military radio that the black sparrow had been fired from a point several hundred kilometres from the Israeli Coast.
“Until now, we have carried out trials only against missiles fired from Israel,” He said.
Ben Israel echoed Barak, saying the arrow is an appropriate response to the threat of surface-to-surface missles deployed by Iran, referring to the Shihab-3 that Tehran successfully tested this summer. Israel's Air Force took possession in March of a first battery of arrow missiles, part of the Homa, or wall, project designed to counter the acquisition by hostile states such as Iran, Iraq and Syria of missiles capable of striking Israeli cities.
The successful test is a vital component in maintaining Israel's deterrent ability and will make a significant contribution to the state of Israel's military and strategic strength, Prime minister Ehud Barak said in a statement on Thursday.
The defence ministry, which is also headed by Barak, said initial results indicated that all components of the system performed as planned, destroying a black sparrow missile simulating a scud, or tactical ballistic missile, that was launched towards the Israeli Coast.
The Defence Ministry's Research Chief, General Yitzhak Ben Israel, told military radio that the black sparrow had been fired from a point several hundred kilometres from the Israeli Coast.
“Until now, we have carried out trials only against missiles fired from Israel,” He said.
Ben Israel echoed Barak, saying the arrow is an appropriate response to the threat of surface-to-surface missles deployed by Iran, referring to the Shihab-3 that Tehran successfully tested this summer. Israel's Air Force took possession in March of a first battery of arrow missiles, part of the Homa, or wall, project designed to counter the acquisition by hostile states such as Iran, Iraq and Syria of missiles capable of striking Israeli cities.
Bureau Report