Israel tests modified Arrow 2 ABM and new Green Pine radar
07 Apr 2009
A modified Arrow-2 anti-ballistic missile system successfully concluded its eighteenth test firing. The system was tested in its entirety, Israeli sources said, with a new radar system manufactured by the Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), also participating.
The test was conducted jointly by the IAF and the US Missile Defense Agency. The Arrow is a project developed in cooperation by the IAI and Boeing.
The missile, launched from the army's Palmahim base near Ashdod, intercepted a Blue Sparrow missile fired by a fighter jet. The Blue Sparrow was mimicking an Iranian Shahab-3 missile.
Defence officials, speaking on the occasion, said the Arrow system was capable of protecting Israel from all missiles in Iran's arsenal.
A new Green Pine radar, which is an integral part of the Arrow missile defence system, was first tested a year ago. As with this test, the new radar tracked a Blue Sparrow missile in that test as well, though no interceptor missiles were launched.
The Blue Sparrow, a Rafael Advanced Defense Systems product, carries a split warhead and has advanced radar evading capabilities. The Shahabs in Iran's current arsenal, Israeli sources said, do not possess such capabilities.
