Israel MoD, US MDA Test-fire Arrow-3 Missile

The Israeli ministry of defense (MoD) and the United States Missile Defense Agency (MDA) have conducted a pre-planned flight test of Arrow-3 missile against ballistic missile threats outside the atmosphere.

The test was carried out at about 6.45 AM local time. The test was conducted at a test site at Palmachim air base in central Israel, Times of Israel reported Tuesday.

“Following the launch, the Arrow’s radar spotted the target on its radar array and transferred the data to its fire management center, which analyzed it and fully planned the interception. Once the planning was completed, an Arrow 3 interceptor was fired at the target, which completed its mission with complete success,” the ministry said in a statement.

The Arrow 3 system, a more advanced model of the Arrow and Arrow 2 models, was declared operational in January 2017. The air defense system, developed as a joint project with the US, is designed to shoot down ballistic missiles — like those Israel fears Iran may one day launch at it — while the incoming projectile is still outside the earth’s atmosphere.

The Arrow 3 was last tested, successfully, in July as part of a broad missile defense exercise that also checked the abilities of the short-range Iron Dome and medium-range David’s Sling.

Before that, the system was successfully tested in February 2018, after months of delays and technical problems. In January, an exercise was called off because of a data transfer problem and in December a test was canceled over safety concerns.