The Israel Missile Defense Organization and the U.S. Missile Defense Agency said they completed a successful test of the cooperative U.S.-Israel Arrow Weapon System (AWS) over the Mediterranean Sea, the final flight test before delivery of the Block 4 AWS.
This test marked a major milestone in the development of the Arrow Weapon System and provides confidence in operational Israeli capabilities to defeat the developing ballistic missile threat, the agencies said.
Israel was one of the first to partner with the United States on missile defense, and that cooperation is “robust, enduring, and unshakable,” a U.S. Arms Control official said at a missile defense conference in Tel Aviv in July (Defense Daily, July 26).
In the Missile Defense Agency budget request for fiscal year 2013 said it continues support and fully participates in the Israeli Cooperative Programs. As part of its plans for this fiscal year, 2012, MDA said it would conduct the first Arrow-3 interceptor fly out to demonstrate the hardware design and functionality.
The United States works with Israel on a number of missile defense activities, considering threats from Iran, Syria, Hizballah and Hamas.
The threat comes from Iran, Syria, Hizballah and Hamas, Rose said.
Data collected from the Feb. 10 flight test will be used to verify functionality of the Block 4 AWS.
This test, designated Block 4 System Verification Flight Test (B4SVFT), was a target-only tracking exercise. A year ago, the system had a successful intercept flight test (Defense Daily, Feb. 24)
During the test, the AWS Super Green Pine fire control radar tracked a Blue Sparrow target, representing potential ballistic missile threats facing Israel.
The radar transferred information to the Citron Tree battle management controller, which prepared a simulated intercept solution. Elements of the U.S. Ballistic Missile Defense System (BMDS) successfully performed interoperability with the AWS and collected data.
Personnel from the Israel Missile Defense Organization and U.S. Missile Defense Agency conducted the flight test.
The main contractor for the integration and development of the Arrow Weapon System is Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI)’s MLM unit. ELTA Industries developed the “Super Green Pine” radar. Tadiran Electronic Systems Ltd. developed the “Citron Tree” battle management controller. Boeing [BA] and IAI co-produce the Arrow II interceptor and are developing the Arrow 3 interceptor for the Israel Ministry of Defense. The system had a successful test earlier this year (Defense Daily, Feb. 24)