Skyshield Anti-Missile Protection On Eilat-Bound Flights

SkyShield anti-missile systems have been installed on Israeli flights to Eilat, bordering Sinai, the site of violence between Egypt and IS militants.

The Israel defense establishment ordered to deploy the SkyShield missile defense systems to Arkia and Israir flights to Eilat two weeks ago, following IS militants attack against the Egyptian military in Sinai, daily Yedioth Ahronoth reported Monday.

The defense system combines lasers and a thermal camera to thwart ground-to-air missiles and change the inbound projectile’s trajectory.

The new defensive measure was introduced in response to concerns that terrorist groups operating in the Sinai Peninsula might attack planes flying near the border between Israel and Egypt.

Last year the country’s defense had completed testing the SkyShield system, which was deemed was successful. Israeli defense tech company Elbit Systems began developing the SkyShield jamming system about a decade ago, in the wake of a failed missile attack on an Israeli airliner.

The terrorists fired two surface-to-air missiles at an Israeli charter plane after takeoff in Mombasa, Kenya, in 2002. Even though, the missiles missed their target, it alerted Israel, leading to improve their countermeasures.

The Israeli government is investing $76 million in developing and arming Israeli commercial aircraft with SkyShield, which can be affixed as a pod to the belly of commercial aircraft.