BICOM

Israel’s Defence Ministry reported that it yesterday successfully conducted a test of the Arrow missile defence system in conjunction with the United States.

A statement from the Defence Ministry said that “The experiment tested enhanced capabilities of a new type of target missile from the Sparrow series… Arrow anti-missile defence systems, including radars and a command and control system, were also tested.” The Sparrow missile simulates a long-range missile and is used for target practice for the Arrow missile-defence system which was developed by Israel and the United States to combat projectiles which reach the upper atmosphere.

The announcement was made after Russian radars picked up the launch, prompting a degree of alarm given the current speculation over Western intentions to strike the Assad regime in Syria. Russia’s Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu informed President Vladimir Putin of the missile activity. The Russian Interfax news agency said that the launch had been detected by an early warning radar station at Armavir, near the Black Sea, which is designed to detect missiles from Europe and Iran.

Israeli and US officials dismissed suggestions that the Sparrow launch was in any way connected to developments over Syria, which some have suggested could attack Israel in response to Western military action. Israel’s Defence Minister Moshe Ya’alon commented that Israel’s military edge “necessitates field trials and, accordingly, a successful trial was conducted to test our systems.” A US official told Reuters, “Israel routinely fires missiles or drones off its shores to test its own ballistic defence capabilities.” The same publication also quoted Arrow designer Uri Rabin who explained that anti-missile system tests, such as yesterday’s launch are planned “long, long in advance.”

The Arrow is part of Israel’s multi-layered missile defence system, which also includes the Iron Dome, which protects against short-range rockets and the David’s Sling which combats medium-range projectiles.