Israel’s Arrow System To Undergo Major Upgrade This Year

The Israeli Air Force has announced that the "Arrow" system, responsible for defending the country from long-range ballistic missiles, will undergo a series of improvements in 2013.

A new version of the missile system--"Block 4.1", which will include a new center for interception management, armored launchers with high shooting availability, better communication with other missile systems and wider ranges of interceptions--is expected in the coming year, according to an official statement.

"The variety of targets and threats that the system can tackle will expand", explains Major Roi Pladshaw, Head of the "Arrow" Division of the "Armor" Administration which is responsible for the development of weapons in the Aerial Defense Formation. "We will be able to intercept targets in farther ranges and also in lower altitudes". 

As a part of the upgrade, a new center for interception management with improved capabilities--additional administrative positions, technical and operational upgrades and a connection to the new radar "Super Green Pine"--will be founded. "We're talking about an incredibly advanced missile-defense radar", says Major Pladshaw. "Its detection capabilities are twice as exact as the ones of the current radar, "Green Pine". 

Additionally, as a part of the series of upgrades, permanent "Arrow" batteries will be based at an IAF airbase. Connectivity and data sharing with other aerial defense systems will also be improved: The upgrade will allow optimal coordination with the "David's Sling" system against mid-range missiles, which is expected to become operational in the coming years, the statement added.