Arrow 3 successfully tested by Israel and US in Alaska; Netanyahu reports “3 pioneering experiments” of the system, addresses Iran; PM: All of our enemies should know that we will overcome them in both defense and offense.
Israel and the United States successfully tested the Arrow 3 missile system in Alaska over the weekend, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirming the test and addressing Iran on Sunday. During his weekly cabinet meeting in Jerusalem Sunday, Prime Minister Netanyahu reported on the test, stating “In recent weeks we have carried out three pioneering secret experiments of the Arrow 3 missile. These experiments were held in the US, in Alaska, in full cooperation with our great ally, the US.”
He confirmed their success, stating, “They were successful beyond any imagination. The Arrow 3, with complete success, intercepted ballistic missiles beyond the atmosphere at unprecedented altitudes and speeds. The execution was perfect [with] all precise hits.” Addressing Israel’s security and Iran, he stated, “Today, Israel has the ability to act against ballistic missiles that could be launched against us from Iran or anywhere else. This is a great achievement for the security of Israel.” He warned, “All of our enemies should know that we will overcome them in both defense and offense.”
The system was last tested in January of this year by both Israel’s Ministry of Defense and the US Missile Defense Agency in Israel. The Arrow 3 was successfully used in Israel in December 2018 to down a Syrian anti-aircraft missile fired into Israeli territory. It was first deployed to Israel in 2017.
The Arrow 3 differs from the Iron Dome short-range missile defense system in that it is capable of intercepting long-range missile threats, including exoatmospheric intercepts. The mobile system is used by monitoring and following a projectile threat from its launch and intercepting and downing the threat with an anti-missile interceptor in the skies before it hits its target. The system has been under cooperative development between the United States and Israel since the 1980s and is Israel’s most advanced missile defense system.
