The Israeli Arrow missile destroys a Scud.

Thursday evening at 8:25 pm (Israel Daylight Time), an Arrow missile successfully hit a Scud missile for the first time. The test target was launched from a ship in a United States Navy test site off the coast of California. The Arrow, which was launched from an island several kilometers away, identified the target and downed it.

Both the �Green Pine� radar system and the �Golden Citron� firing mechanism proved themselves in the successful test. Sources in the defense establishment expressed great satisfaction with the success of the test and said that it proved that the Arrow is the most sophisticated missile of its kind in the world and the only weapon effective against ballistic missiles.

The purpose of the test was to prove that the Arrow could effectively down a land-to-land ballistic missile. Previous tests have either been on air-to-ground missiles or computer simulations. The test was conducted by teams from the Defense Ministry and the Israel Air Force in cooperation with American forces, who were responsible for the Scud target missile.

Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz responded to the test saying, "The succes of the Arrow test is central aspect in Israel's defensive capability and further proof of Israel's technological superiority. We are entering a period of uncertainty. Nations in the third ring continue their efforts to obtain non-conventional capabilities and launch long-range missiles. The Arrow is the best of its kind, incrase our power in a future battle and increase Israel's deterrent effect".

Sources in the defense establishment told Maariv that the fact that the test was conducted in the United States is an American acknowledgement of the quality of the Israeli military industries. They added that the tests and simulations conducted to date prove that the Arrow is the �best missile of its type� and claimed that it could have defended Israel against a Scud attack if there had been one during last year�s US invasion of Iraq.

The last successful Arrow test was in Israel, in November 2003. The Arrow, which was developed jointly by Israel and the United States, is already operational. Two batteries are in place near Ein Shemer and Palmachim, as a first line of defense against land-to-land ballistic missiles. Patriot missiles are the second line of defense.



Taken from Maariv

It is one of the most important tests of the Arrow Missile, and it just seemed important enough to be posted here (it was on the front page of big Israeli newspapers).

Well... what do you think?

Nice one you Israelis.

Although i'm in the UK i used to have a poster of an IFI Kifir with the orange ID triangles and three tone camo on my wall. I've always admired the Israeli determination and innovation.

Some doubt whether it would be reliable against a salvo of Iran's most advanced missiles, the Shahab-3.

The Iranian missile travels nearly three times as fast as a Scud and considerably faster than the missiles the Arrow system was designed to intercept.


Israel has to continue development to achieve capabilities against future threats, such as those being developed in Iran.



Rebekka

Still its a nice acomplishment. Of course this might give Isreal more insurance if they attack Iran. But true the Shahab-3 will be much harder to intercept.

I think this was a join project by Israel and the US Israel wanted something fro scuds the US wanted something for the ABM project so they performed the test in the Us cuz lack of space and security in Israel. Could this be Israelis way of getting ready for Iran?


[edit on 30-7-2004 by WestPoint23]

Green Pine and Golden Citron are the dumbest names I've ever heard.

Israelis also have the THEL in development, which looks very promising.

Any of you guys ever think they might not be telling you all of the Arrows capabilities? Whats the point in developing a new missile system if it wont be effective against the enemies new systems?

Israelis also have the THEL in development, which looks very promising.

Got any links for this last I hear the US was the only one to have the THEL. We might give some to Israel but I haven't heard of them having anything yet.

Originally posted by WestPoint23

Israelis also have the THEL in development, which looks very promising.

Got any links for this last I hear the US was the only one to have the THEL. We might give some to Israel but I haven't heard of them having anything yet.

THEL is a joint Israeli-American project. Actually the speed of the development has a lot to do with Israel asking the US to accelerate the development so that it will be ready ASAP because Israel needs it to defend itself from Hezbollah strikes and Kassam missiles. Israel spent lots of money on its development and Israeli teams are working on it too.

As for the Arrow missile - it was designed and constructed by Israel alone (I think), and the US only gave us financial support.

Recently the project manager of the Arrow missile said that they will upgrade the software and the hardware so that it will be able to respond to future threats (probably Shihab-3 Missiles).

Originally posted by Transc3ndent

As for the Arrow missile - it was designed and constructed by Israel alone (I think), and the US only gave us financial support.

The Arrow's development began in 1988 on Israel Aircraft Industries (IAI) in Be'er Yaakovas an experimental missile for the Americans, who funded the development program within the context of their Star Wars project.

In the summer of 1990, defense minister Moshe Arens ordered the establishment of a defense system based on the Arrow 1 missile. ( The Homa administration was established before Iraq's invasion of Kuwait .

When the Gulf War ended, the Homa administration began studying what anti-ballistic missile defense system would be best suited for Israel.

Well why the hell would the US do that? The US would never fund someone else�s project unless we get something out of it. Also the only working prototype of the THEL is in the US... I think.

U.S. Army will not procure the Arrow for American use, but it provides the U.S. with key research and technology that benefit similar American weapons development projects.


Rebekka

Isreal is the perfect test subject. Isreal will have plenty of oppurtunities to use any kind of prototype you give them. Plus Isreal does have some good scientists so they probably contributed a lot to the development. They did pretty good with that one compute made out of DNA.