A planned July 22 intercept test of the Arrow Weapon System (AWS) was partially successful, though a Arrow II interceptor was not launched for reasons now under investigation, the Missile Defense Agency (MDA) said.
“Not all test conditions to launch the Arrow Interceptor were met, and it was not launched,” MDA said in a statement.
This test was a part of the Arrow System Improvement Program and jointly conducted by Israel and the United States at U.S. test ranges.
The AWS, jointly developed by Israel and the United States, is designed to defend against Israel against the growing threat of short- and medium-range ballistic missiles.
Boeing [BA] and Israel Aerospace Industries produce the Arrow II ballistic missile interceptor.
Interoperability objectives were achieved, however, including a simulated interception by the Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense program aboard the USS Benfold (DDG-65) during the test, the agency said.
AWS interoperability was exercised with U.S. systems in the Ballistic Missile Defense System.
The Terminal High Altitude Area (THAAD) program was located at Vandenberg AFB, Calif. The Patriot (PAC-3) program was located on San Nicola Island, and an Israeli Green Pine radar at Pt. Mugu, Calif.
During the test, the target missile was dropped from a C-17 aircraft and represented a future ballistic missile threat.
The radar detected the target and transferred its tracks to the battle management control center. The AWS and the BMDS elements exchanged data in real-time on the target.
“All assets detected and tracked the target and passed information to one another,” an MDA spokesman said. THAAD also passed information to Aegis, which conducted a simulated engagement of the target.
Test results are being analyzed by the program engineers.
More joint tests will be scheduled.
In an April intercept flight test in Israel, the Arrow II interceptor successfully shot down a target ballistic missile in another U.S.-Israel joint test effort.
The Israel Missile Defense Organization (IMDO) and U.S. Defense Department representatives participated in the test, as well as industry officials in charge of the system development.