A missile simulating an Iranian Shihab 3 was successfully destroyed during an anti-ballistic missile test in Israel Tuesday. The Arrow 2 ballistic missile defense system was successfully tested by Israel. Read more, see photos and video.
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With North Korea testing missiles left and right, and with Iran constantly threatening to wipe Israel off the map, Israel did a little talking of their own on Tuesday. The Arrow 2 ballistic missile defense system was successfully tested on Tuesday, simulating the destruction of the Iranian Shihab 3 missile.
The Arrow 2 missile was fired around 11:00 a.m. and intercepted and destroyed a missile fired by a fighter jet simulating the Iranian missile. This was the eighteenth test of the Arrow missile and the first since the Arrow 2 had been modified. From the Jerusalem Post:
Defense officials lauded the successful launching as another indication of Israel’s defense capabilities in the face of Iran’s continued quest for a nuclear weapon. They said that the Arrow system could protect Israel from all of the missiles in Iran’s arsenal.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, congratulated the Israeli defense forces on their successful test and said that while Israel is for peace, it is good to know that they can defend themselves from an increasingly dangerous threat of Iran gaining nuclear weapons.
Iran has been trying to acquire nuclear weapons for sometime now; all the while threatening Israel with certain destruction if they were to gain that capacity. With the instability in the region, and with countries like North Korea testing missiles and firing them over innocent countries, it’s good to know that there is a country like Israel who will not hesitate to defend themselves or take further action if necessary.
North Korea tested a missile and not much condemnation was heard from the world community; it will be interesting to see how the United Nations and others react to Israel’s successful test of an Arrow 2 ballistic missile defense system. I’m sure the condemnation’s are already being written.
Iran Missile Test Video
April 7th, 2009 at 7:44 pm
The US and Israel have decided to shelve the concept of pre-emptive war by developing third generation antiballistic missle systems, with the US well into development of a tiered air, land, and sea system to intercept icbms from boost to flight to re-entery phase. With a rational enemy they should work as additional deterents. With irrational enemys they should at least mitigate the damage. It is is imperitive that we continue to research, develop, and deploy these systems. The down side on this is we are militarizing space which will one day work to our disadvantage as others advance. All the more reason we build a new generation of space planes to continue mastering low orbital activities. The russians claim they have a new design in the works, and we simply are lagging behind. In fact, shockingly behind even though we have more advanced technology and capability if we put our backs behind it.