Watch: Israel enters 'new era' of missile defense with Arrow-3
Israeli Air Force receives operational Arrow-3 ballistic interceptors.
By ANNA AHRONHEIMUpdated: JANUARY 19, 2017 13:13The Arrow 3
Israel strengthened its defense against an Iranian missile onslaught with the transfer on Wednesday of Arrow-3 interceptors from the Israel Missile Defense Organization to the Israel Air Force.“It is a new era in the Israel’s multi-layered defense system,” said Moshe Patel, director of Israel Missile Defense Organization.In face of the growing missile threat, the Arrow-3 will form the uppermost layer of Israel’s multi-layered defense system, along with the Arrow-2, David’s Sling and Iron Dome system.Together the systems will provide Israel will a protective umbrella able to counter threats posed by both shortand mid-range missiles used by terrorist groups in the Gaza Strip and Hezbollah in Lebanon, as well as the threat posed by long-range Iranian missiles.The Arrow-3 is highly maneuverable system designed to provide ultimate air defense by intercepting ballistic missiles when they are still outside the earth’s atmosphere, and is considered one of the world’s best interceptors due to its breakthrough technological capabilities.“The advent of the Arrow-3 as an operational system of the air force is a significant step up in the air defense of the State of Israel, and along with the Arrow-2 will reduce any chances of any harm to the State of Israel,” the Defense Ministry said in a statement.All components of the Arrow missile defense system were upgraded and are compatible with Arrow-2 and Arrow-3 interceptors, the ministry said. The capabilities of the command and control centers as well as radar detection systems were also upgraded.The Arrow-3 development program is one of the joint programs between Israel and the United States.It was co-managed by the US Missile Defense Agency and the Israel Missile Defense Organization, a division of the Defense Ministry.According to Patel, the IMDO will continue to work with the United States in developing additional capabilities for the system, and further trials of the Arrow-3 system are expected in the future.
The ceremony was attended by the President of Boeing Israel (and former IAF commander) David Ivry; Air Defense Force head Brig.-Gen. Zvika Haimovich; Israel Aerospace Industries Vice President and head of the Missile and Space Program Boaz Levy; former Brigadier-General Danny Gould, director of research and development of weapons and technological infrastructure at the Defense Ministry; and Brig.-Gen. William Coley, a representative of the US Missile Defense Agency.