Haaretz Correspondent and AP
Haaretz
July 27, 2004
Israel and the
United States are set to conduct a crucial test on a jointly developed
anti-ballistic missile system, with the results of the test possibly
determining the system's future.
A battery of the Arrow
anti-ballistic missile system has been shipped to a U.S. naval base and
will attempt to shoot down a Scud missile launched from the Pacific Ocean.
The point of impact would be at an altitude of several dozen
kilometers.
Israel and the U.S. decided to carry out the experiment
some two years ago. The U.S. has specially purchased a Scud missile for the
purpose of the test.
Military officials said the results of the
test would likely determine if deployment of the system could be expanded,
or if new funds would be required to continue
development.
Developed jointly by Israel Aircraft Industries and
Chicago-based Boeing Co. at a cost of more than $1 billion, the Arrow is
one of the few systems capable of intercepting and destroying missiles at
high altitudes. Its development followed the 1991 Gulf war, when Iraq
fired 39 Scud missiles at Israel.
This test marks the first time
that an Arrow will attempt to shoot down an actual Scud missile. Previous
tests have involved computer simulations and the targeting of smaller,
Scud-like projectiles.
Since most of the tests were successful,
defense establishment sources say that the system provides a suitable
response for surface-to-surface missiles that may be fired at Israel by
enemy states.
In the last test, in December 2003, the Arrow
successfully destroyed a Black Arrow missile, developed by Raphael (Israel
Armament Development Authority).