Arrow Missile Test Failure Leaves Israel Exposed to Iran, Syria
[Freeman Note: We have been calling for pre-emption for several years on all Arab fronts. Let us do it.]
The upgraded Arrow missile defense system failed an important test off the western coast of the United States Thursday, leaving Israel defenseless against long-range Iranian and Syrian missiles. The missile that was to destroy an oncoming missile was not launched because of “interceptor problems” resulting from failures in the communications system.
The Pentagon, which is working with Israel to develop the program, stated that "not all test conditions to launch the Arrow Interceptor were met and it was not launched.” It added that other undefined objectives were achieved.
The Arrow system is designed to intercept missiles launched from as far away as 680 miles (1,100 kilometers).
It successfully tracked a target missile dropped from an American airplane over the Pacific Ocean, but the failure to launch the interceptor missile left the Arrow defense system unproven.
Last April, the Israeli Air force successfully carried out its 17th test of the upgraded system in an exercise over the Mediterranean Sea. The Arrow tracked, located and identified an oncoming missile, but the interceptor missile was not fired, and this is exactly what Thursday’s exercise was designed to test.
Both the U.S. and Israel are hoping that the upgraded system will serve as a deterrent to enemy attacks, while American officials are hoping it will help persuade Israel not to carry out a pre-emptive attack on Iran, which is advancing its nuclear program that will it enable it to produce a nuclear weapon.
Posts
