Israel Shoots Down Incoming Missile in Test of Arrow System

NY Times ^ | December 2, 2005 | GREG MYRE

[neverdem]

JERUSALEM, Dec. 2 - Israel conducted a successful test of its missile-interception system today, shooting down an incoming missile intended to simulate those in Iran's arsenal, the Defense Ministry said.

The test came a day after Israel's prime minister, Ariel Sharon, said that Israel could not accept an Iran with nuclear weapons.

In the latest test of the Arrow antimissile system, an Israeli aircraft over the Mediterranean Sea fired a missile on a trajectory designed to emulate an Iranian Shahab-3.

From an air force base in central Israel, an Arrow missile was launched and destroyed the incoming missile, according to the Defense Ministry. It also said that Israel has carried out more than a dozen tests of the Arrow in recent years, most of them successful.

Israel, in conjunction with the United States, stepped up work on an antimissile system after the 1991 Gulf War, when Iraq fired nearly 40 Scud missiles into Israel. The United States had supplied Israel with the Patriot antimissile system, which proved ineffective.

The Arrow system is more technologically advanced and is designed to intercept missiles at a much higher altitude than the Patriot system.

Today, Israel says its main threat is from Iran, which has Shahab-3 missiles capable of reaching Israel, according to Israeli military officials.

Israel believes that Iran is trying to develop nuclear weapons, though Iran says its nuclear program is strictly for generating power for civilian use.

Iran's president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, caused an uproar in October when he said Israel should be "wiped off the map."

[PsyOp]

"Works for me! Lol"

It would certainly be poetic justice.

And if you are Muslim, and have rectal cancer, you can go to Mecca and pray facing away from the rock for instant radiation therapy...

[Salem]

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[Doohickey]

OR, or up-and-coming ally, Iraq...

[Rembrandt]

It seems to me that a good "next step" for both the U.S. and the Israeli's would be for (a) the U.S. to fire a missle at an unoccupied portion of Israel, without warning, and the Israeli's to detect it, lock on and destroy it and (b) for the Israeli's to do the same vs. the U.S.

Successful actions by each would be much better verification of the efficacy of these systems.

[USNBandit]

The test should be how long it takes from interception to launch a weapon of your own.

I have a feeling that the response will be launched prior to intercept.

Seriously, I think Israel really has a chance to build a decent missile defence. They have a limited territory to protect from a limited threat sector, now that Iraq is no longer a threat.

[neverdem]

Lobbyist's Brother Guided House Bill Murtha's brother is this lobbyist.

Democratic split on war pleases GOP

Despite the overwhelming defeat, Mrs. Pelosi said Wednesday, "I'm endorsing what Mr. Murtha is saying. I believe that a majority of our caucus clearly supports Mr. Murtha."

Yet the No. 2 Democrat in the House, Minority Whip Steny H. Hoyer of Maryland, strongly disagreed with his leader.

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[2111USMC]

Even though the Patriot didn't perform perfectly, I do remember watching it on TV.

Until that time, nothing of it's capability had ever been seen by most people.

It was successful enough to save many lives.

[jschwartz]

While we are on the subject, when will news reporters stop giving me a headache with this garbage about Iran claiming to be developing nuclear power? That's like the eskimos spending billions for ice. Not even the UN buys that. Baghdad Bob's preposterous reports were funny. This nuclear power BS is not funny. Let AL Jazzeera do the propaganda, OK? There is no obligation to constantly report preposterous "claims", is there? Just shuttup!

[msnimje]

And people wonder why the Pentagon buys space in papers for positive articles about progress in Iraq.

[jschwartz]

But, can it intercept a nuke? And if it did, would the thing detonate 2-3 miles above Israel?

[Light Speed]

Seriously, I think Israel really has a chance to build a decent missile defence. They have a limited territory to protect from a limited threat sector, now that Iraq is no longer a threat.

Rafael Industries has been kicking out some excellent products.
Python 5 -full sphere fire and forget.
Spyder ground launch intercept lofted on Python 4/5.

Anyones guess to what level Hamdi is tooled up in the cruise missile dept.
Hamdi is frustrated...as those KH 55 's from the Ukraine which are likely being knocked off in duplicate are awaiting nuclear warheads which N.K. cannot fill orders on now : )

Israel may also possess technology which we have not seen yet...that can do** in the elctro magnetics avenue,
allong with transmission burst to crash chip sets and circuitry.

Hamdi might have to resort to horses and charging Saracens like the days of Saladin,

but then...he might get microwaved for all his effort : )

[Androcles]

plus two more nukes at every country who supplied the intelligence and material to produce the incomming nuke...

Hmm...so Germany for Einstein...New Zealand for Rutherford...Bohr and Oppenheimer in Northenrn Europe...America for proving it was possible...

[grey_whiskers]

Hmm...so Germany for Einstein...New Zealand for Rutherford...Bohr and Oppenheimer in Northenrn Europe...America for proving it was possible...

...and a few on Hollywood, just for being *ssholes :-)

[dervish]

"As I recall, the Patriot did an admirable job"

As I recall God did a better job. It was a modern day miracle that only two people were killed.

39 missiles in 17 days. Only two deaths even though missiles landed in population centers including Tel Aviv and Haifa and damaged over 6000 apartments and 300 homes.

Israel’s missile defense worked fine in January 1991.

http://www.israeli-weapons.com/history/desert_storm/Desert_Storm.html

[operation clinton cleanup]

The radiation fallout from a single atomic explosion in Israel would travel east with the jet stream winds, could be hundreds miles long, and up to 30 miles wide.

I guess even a whole country can become a "suicide bomber".

[Robert A Cook PE]

Yes, it can intercept a (rocket-launched) nuke: on the way up and over the trajectory apparently.

Whether, after separation, it could hit an ICMB warhead is a differnt matter.

But IRBM missiles (short range - not intercontinental missiles) usually DON'T have separable warheads and re-entry shielded warheads. SO if you hit the rocket, you can assume the missile and warhead will twist and destroy it in flight.

Whether that twisting crashing shredding impact will destroy the warhead and fusing and internals of the bombs is always a guess.

Not much was left of the Space Shuttle when it broke up at high speed.

[Robert A Cook PE]

Radiation areas are much hyped: "Most" people irradiated (even after a bomb burst) will be OK. (Physical burns and regular injuries are much more (by many thousands times) more important.

Fallout is merely radioactive dust. Some of it short-lived, some long lived, most of very, very low energy.

[American in Israel]

It can intercept a Shihad-3 at Mach 9, most likely over Iran still, and if it was carrying a nuke the nuke would explode as a dirty bomb not detonate as the warhead would be deformed from the schrapnel.

[SJackson]

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[MissRepresent]

Thanks for the ping.