Free Republic

Israel to Soon Test Next-generation Missile Defense System Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) is ready to conduct the first test of the Arrow 3 missile defense system, the state-owned defense contractor announced in a statement released Thursday evening. "The initial trial of the advanced Arrow 3 will be performed in the near future to confirm the interceptor's effectiveness," Itzhak Kaya, head of the Arrow Missile Program at IAI, said in a military and aviation exhibition earlier Thursday near Tel Aviv, according to the statement. "A series of different tests will be run to establish the system's high level of reliability within...

Will Israel be able to sell the Arrow system to India? Elements within Israel’s industries believe that a change has occurred in the US position regarding the sale of the Arrow system to India following the weakening of the US’s special standing with the sub-continent Arie Egozi A change in the position of the US may indirectly open a door for the export of the Arrow anti-missile system to India. The US is attempting to increase its influence in India after a series of failures. Now, Washington is attempting to sell systems to India for ballistic missile defense. In the...

MBDA's Aster, the first European missile to successfully carry out a ballistic intercept MBDA is celebrating the total success of an Aster missile firing carried out on 18th October 2010 by the DGA EM (Direction Générale de l’Armement - Essais de Missiles) in the Landes region of France. This firing deployed the Aster 30 Block 1 missile variant developed for the French Air Force’s Mamba medium range air defence system (also known as SAMP/T or Surface Air Moyenne Portée Terrestre) and optimised for the interception of aerial as well as ballistic threats. The Aster missile family (which also includes the...

Lockheed eyes additional missile sales in Gulf Tue Jan 8, 2008 2:30pm EST By Andrea Shalal-Esa WASHINGTON, Jan 8 (Reuters) - Lockheed Martin Corp (LMT.N: Quote, Profile, Research) has provided technical details to Saudi Arabia and Qatar about advanced systems to shoot down enemy ballistic missiles, hoping to add to missile sales already planned to the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait, company officials said on Tuesday. The Bush administration last month announced plans for sales of Lockheed's Patriot PAC-3 missiles to the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait with a potential combined value of nearly $10.4 billion. The sales are part...

IAF mulls further 'Arrow' deployment By YAAKOV KATZ The defense establishment is considering deploying new Arrow 2 missile batteries, in addition to the two currently in place, at sites throughout the country, including in the South, The Jerusalem Post has learned. On Sunday night, the IAF successfully tested the Arrow 2 system against a missile impersonating an Iranian Shihab-3 carrying a nuclear warhead. According to defense sources, the IAF plans to test an upgraded version of the missile called the Arrow 2.5 in two months. It is said to carry a larger warhead and to be capable of reaching higher...

“Defense News”: Israel planning “Arrow Mark 4” Israel has asked the US for $58 million to speed up production of Arrow interceptor missile. Ran Dagoni, Washington 5 Jun 06 14:28 Israel Aircraft Industries Ltd. (IAI) subsidiary Elta Group, the Israel Air Force, and Ministry of Defense are designing components for the Arrow Mark IV, which will have qualitatively better performance than current versions. The Arrow upgrade is one response to the threat posted by conventional or nuclear armed Iranian ballistic missiles, says “Defense News”, citing Israeli defense sources. The Arrow Mark IV will have a new radar unit, improved interceptor...

Saudi Arabia and Kuwait to buy missiles from Lockheed By Stanley Carvalho, Staff Reporter Abu Dhabi: Saudi Arabia and Kuwait are likely to upgrade their missile system to the battle-proven PAC-3 missile from Lockheed Martin, company officials said yesterday. "Saudi Arabia and Kuwait are very interested in the PAC-3 missiles. We have briefed both countries," said Dennis Cavin, vice-president of International Air and Missile Defence Strategic Initiative for, Lockheed Martin. "Both countries are looking at upgrading their Patriot missiles but no decisions have been made," he said. The UAE is also seriously evaluating different missile systems including the Lockheed Martin...