The Israel Missile Defence Organization (IMDO) and the US Missile Defence Agency (MDA) have concluded a flight test of the Arrow Weapon System (AWS) and the Arrow 3 interceptor.
Conducted in central Israel, the flight test was led by manufacturer Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) with support from the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF).
The Arrow-3 missile has been developed to intercept the ballistic missile while it is in exo-atmospheric flight.
As part of the test, AWS operational radars array located and identified the target. The data was then communicated to the battle management control (BMC), which analysed and prepared a defence plan.
Two Arrow-3 missiles successfully engaged the target, marking the completion of this mission.
IMDO director Moshe Patel said: “We successfully completed a complicated flight test of the Arrow Weapon System and the Arrow 3 interceptor. Israeli Ministry of Defence continues its efforts to enhance and upgrade Israeli Multi-Tier missile defence capabilities for emerging threats in the region.
“Since the successful series of tests in Alaska in 2019, we have significantly extended the Arrow Weapon System capabilities. I want to express our appreciation to MDA and the US Government for long-lasting cooperation of more than 30 years to build and strengthen the Israeli Missile Defense.”
Jointly developed by IMDO and MDA, the AWS is a part of Israel’s multi-layered defence array, which includes four layers, namely Iron Dome Defence System, David’s Sling Weapon System, the AWS Arrow-2, and Arrow-3 interceptors.
In 2019, MDA and the IMDO completed a test campaign of the Arrow 3 weapon system in a testing field in Alaska, US.
