ISRAEL'S ARROW 2 ABM INTERCEPTS SCUD IN TEST

Israel has carried out another test of its Arrow-2 anti-ballistic missile system by intercepting a live incoming target of a Scud type missile fired from the Mediterranean in a simulated enemy attack, the Israeli military has announced.

The "Scud" target, called the Black Sparrow, which has been developed and produced by Rafael, was dropped from an Israel Air Force's F-15. The Arrow-2 missile was fired from a site at Palmahim Air Base south of Tel Aviv, after acquiring the target, and destroyed it successfully. This was the first live test of the Black Sparrow.

The first battalion of the Arrow-2 system has already been deployed in central Israel and the second battalion is proposed to be installed near Israel's northern seaport city of Haifa, but has been delayed by strong local opposition from residents.

	Запуск противоракеты Arrow-2 14 сентября 2000 г. © AP

In March Israel officially declared the Arrow-2 missile system operational, making Israel the first country in the world to have the capacity to defend itself against a ballistic missile attack.

The Arrow -2 system is a US-Israel joint venture and includes missiles, launchers, radar and the command and control system. It has cost over 1.3 billion US dollars to develop.

The system's early warning and fire-control system is designed to acquire and track incoming missiles from a distance of 500 kilometres, while its control and command system can guide the launches of the interceptors and is capable of dealing with up to 14 intercepts at a time.

© «Defence Systems Daily», 15.09.2000