Michael Peck
Security,
Or just a waste of money?
Will Israel’s New Missile Defense System Stop Iran if a War Begins?
Israel’s new Arrow 3 anti-missile system has just passed a major milestone.
Not in Israel, but 6,000 miles away in Kodiak, Alaska. The Arrow 3 test on July 28 comes just days after Israel’s arch-enemy Iran itself tested a new ballistic missile.
“Flight Test Arrow-01 demonstrated the Israeli Arrow Weapon System’s ability to conduct a high altitude hit-to-kill engagement,” said the U.S. Missile Defense Agency announcement.
“Interceptor tests were conducted that successfully destroyed target missiles.”
“The Arrow-3 Interceptor successfully demonstrated an engagement capability against the exo-atmospheric target during the test. Although not part of the Israeli architecture, a U.S. AN-TPY2 radar participated in the test. Preliminary analysis indicates that test objectives were successfully achieved.”
“The performance was perfect,” announced Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. “Every hit a bull’s eye.”
The Arrow 3 is a joint Israel-U.S. weapon designed to destroy ballistic missiles in outer space, before they have a chance to drop their warheads into the atmosphere. The project is managed by the U.S. Missile Defense Agency and the Israeli Missile Defense Organization, with development by Israel Aerospace Industries and Boeing.
The Arrow 3, an improved version of the earlier Arrow 2, is a two-stage hypersonic interceptor with an estimated range of 1,500 miles downrange and 62 miles high. It is armed with a kinetic warhead that destroys missiles through sheer high-speed impact.
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