Israel and the US completed a drill that tested the country’s combined systems that are meant to defend Israel’s skies in an event of thousands of missiles raining down on the Jewish State.
Israel’s Defense Ministry announced Wednesday that the Israeli Missile Defense Organization (IMDO) in conjunction with the United States Missile Defense Agency (MDA) and the United States European Command (EUCOM) successfully conducted an Integrated Ground Test which ended on June 22nd.
The exercise validated and successfully tested the combined United States and Israeli Missile Defense integrated systems for Israel’s missile defense.
The test was carried out by Elisra, a subsidiary of Israel’s Elbit Systems.
The integrated architecture consisted of the Israeli Arrow Weapons System using Arrow-2 and Arrow-3 interceptors, and the David’s Sling Weapon System inter-operating with the US assets consisting of Command and Control elements, Aegis ships, Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) and Patriot missile defense systems.
The David’s Sling missile defense system, which was recently delivered to Israel’s Air Force (IAF), participated in the drill as part of its transition to becoming operational.
The various systems provided a multi-layered defense from a variety of missiles of different payloads and ranges.
The scenarios simulated during the drill consisted of multiple missile and rocket attacks against Israel, with both US and Israeli defense system successfully employing, engaging and destroying the simulated incoming threats.
“The test demonstrated the United States’ commitment for the protection of Israel as well as the interoperability between the United States and Israeli integrated defense system architecture,” the Defense Ministry stated.
Israel and the US have been collaborating in recent years in the development of anti-missile defense systems, and in June the US House of Representatives passed an appropriations measure that included $635.7 million earmarked for funding of Israel’s missile defense programs.
By: Max Gelber, United with Israel