Israel's Ministry of Defense and the US Missile Defense Agency (MDA) this morning conducted a successful planned trial of the Arrow long-range missile defense system.
Amid the tensions on Israel's Syrian border, Israel's Ministry of Defense and the US Missile Defense Agency (MDA) this morning conducted a planned trial of the Arrow missile defense system. Loud explosions were heard in the vicinity of Palmachim in central Israel at about 6.45 am this morning, and smoke trails were seen in the sky.
The Defense Ministry said this morning that the trial was a success and an important milestone in Israel's operational capbilities to defend itself against existing and future threats. Further details about the trial were not disclosed.
The Arrow missile defense system is Israel's long range missiledefense system, which intercepts missiles outside of the atmosphere, and which has been developed by the Ministry of Defense's Homa Administration together with Israel's defense industries, Israel's Air Force and the US Missile Defense Agency. The Arrow missile defense system is designed to protect Israel from the long-range ballistic missiles from enemy countries, which first and foremost means Iran. The Arrow 3 system was delivered to the Israel Air Force for operational purposes in January 2017.
The previous trial of the Arrow 3 system was conducted by the Ministry of Defense and US MDA in February 2018. It was successfully carried out in central Israel by Israel Aerospace Industries Ltd. (IAI) (TASE: ARSP.B1) together with the Israel Air Force. The chief contractor for the Arrow 3 system is IAI's MALAM division together with its Elta unit, which is responsible for the system's radar functions. Elbit Systems Ltd. (Nasdaq: ESLT; TASE: ESLT) Elisra division has developed the Arrow 3's firing management systems while the interceptor was jointly developed by three sub-contractors: IMI Systems, IAI's TAMAM division and Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Ltd.. Boeing is also a partner in development and production of the Arrow 3 system.