On December 4, a target missile’s failure to conform to safety requirements caused Israeli program officials to cancel its scheduled test of an Arrow-3 missile interceptor, declaring a ‘no-test.’ The joint Israeli Defense Ministry and U.S. Missile Defense Agency test ended before Arrow 3 systems could even come online, after on-site engineers noticed the target...
The Naval Iron Dome system, first tested in May 2016, completed its final round of testing on Monday. The successful test, in which Grad rockets were fired both individually and in barrages, resulted in the system being declared fully operational by the Israeli Defense Forces. The “Iron Dome of the Sea” was a multi-year joint...
On November 11, the Israeli military shot down a Syrian reconnaissance drone patrolling near the demilitarized zone north of the Golan Heights with a Patriot interceptor missile. While initial reports indicated the unmanned aerial vehicle was Russian-designed, the Israeli military is also investigating if there is a connection to Iran and Hezbollah. “We hold the...
On October 16, Syria’s national “Air Force and Air Defense Day,” a Syrian S-200 surface-to-air missile system fired on several Israeli aircraft flying reconnaissance over Lebanon. The missile interceptor failed to hit its target, and the aircraft safely exfiltrated Lebanese airspace. Several hours later a separate Israeli sortie launched four missiles at the S-200 site...
On September 18, Israel’s Air Force reported that its Air Defense Division had established a second Iron Dome battalion to defend against aerial threats in Israel’s northern theater. “Israel’s northern theatre has always been the most threatened area,” Brig. Gen. Zvika Haimovich, Commander of the Aerial Defense Division said in a press release. “The theater...
On February 23, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi approved a $2.5 billion purchase of Israel’s multi-range surface-to-air missile system (MR-SAM). The deal includes 40 firing units and 200 missiles, each with a strike range of 70 km. The project, to be jointly developed by the Indian Defense Research and Development Organization and the Israeli Aircraft...
On January 18, 2017, the Israeli Missile Defense Organization (IMDO) formally transferred the first Arrow 3 interceptors to the Israeli Air Force in a ceremony marking the induction of the system into the country’s missile defense shield. Arrow 3 will coordinate with and complement the existing Arrow 2 system, providing defense from medium-range ballistic missiles....
On December 17, Azerbaijan’s Defense Industry Minister Yaver Jamalov confirmed that his country will purchase the Iron Dome defense system as part of a $4.8 billion deal with Israel. Azerbaijan will be one of the first countries to acquire the system, which is designed to intercept short-range rockets and artillery. It is unknown how many...
In an agreement signed on September 14, 2016, the United States pledged to provide Israel with $38 billion in military assistance over the next decade. This Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), which replaces one expiring in FY2018, is the largest single pledge of military assistance in U.S. history. The agreement allocates $5 billion over the 10-year...
We need a way to fund Israel’s missile defenses without undercutting our own. This weekend, the acting head of Israel’s National Security Council will visit Washington, reportedly to conclude a new multi-year aid package. Replacing an arrangement set to expire in 2018, the deal is expected to include hundreds of millions of dollars for Israeli...
