WASHINGTON, Feb. 13 (UPI) -- Israel carried out another successful test of its Arrow anti-ballistic missile, or ABM, interceptor Sunday.
The Arrow is widely regarded as the best high altitude ABM interceptor in the world. The latest test marked the second successful interception and destruction by the Arrow of a target missile configured to perform like an Iranian Shihab-3 intermediate range ballistic missile.
"The trial was carried out at an air force base in central Israel, and it was the first time that such an interception was tested at night." Globes Online reported Monday.
"The trial was carried out under the auspices of the Arrow Systems Improvement Program agreement between Israel and the United States. It was the fifteenth trial of the Arrow interception system, and the tenth trial of its weapons system," Globes said. "The trial was designed to assess the improvements that have been made to the system, which include the expansion of the range of hostile targets that the system can intercept."
The test also reflected the high level of tension between Israel and the United States versus Iran. The United States has sent Israel Patriot anti-ballistic missile batteries that are effective at lower altitude than the Arrow.
Globes noted that the Arrow was jointly developed by Israel and the United States and was jointly managed by the Israeli Ministry of Defense Homa Project Management Authority and the U.S. Missile Defense Agency. The lead contractor on the project is Israel Aerospace Industries subsidiary MLM.
"The systems consists of the Green Pine radar system developed by Elta Systems group, the Citron Tree fire control system, developed by Tadiran Electronic Systems, the Hazelnut Tree Launch Control Center and operational launcher developed by (Israel Aerospace Industries) and MLM, and interceptors, jointly developed by (Israel Aerospace Industries), MLM and Boeing Corp.," Globes said
The report described Sunday's test as "an important step in the development of operational capabilities."
The German Deutsche Presse Agentur news service cited Israeli military sources as saying that the Arrow system had been upgraded and was now capable of destroying ballistic missile targets at greater ranges and heights than was possible before.
MDA holds new missile tracking test
The U.S. Missile Defense Agency held a successful new radar tracking and target acquisition test tracking a U.S. Air Force strategic missile on Feb. 7.
MDA Director Lt. Gen. Henry "Trey" Obering announced the results of the test and said it involved elements of the Ballistic Missile Defense System tracking the routine operational testing a U.S. Air Force strategic missile launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base Calif., Technology News reported Saturday.
"Operational elements of the BMDS, including an Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense destroyer and an AN/TPY-2 transportable X-band radar, successfully detected and tracked the missile. Other participating sensors included the Airborne Infrared Surveillance/Plume (rocket motor exhaust) Acquisition Targeting System, the Sensor Netting Experiment and the External Sensors Laboratory," Technology News reported Obering saying.
"These sensors provided acquisition and track data to the BMDS Command, Control, Battle Management and Communications (C2BMC) system using operational communications links. This test demonstrated the command and control element's ability to integrate data from a number of different sensors to improve the system's accuracy and responsiveness in detecting, identifying, tracking and targeting hostile ballistic missiles," the report said.
The Air Force test, Glory Trip 193, "was part of a continuing program to evaluate and demonstrate the operational readiness of (the U.S.) ground-based strategic deterrent force," the report said.
Raytheon delivers sensor payload
The Raytheon Company announced Friday that it had "delivered the second of two advanced infrared sensor payloads to Northrop Grumman Space Technology for the missile-warning Space Tracking and Surveillance System Block 6 program.
Block 6 research and development satellites "will demonstrate the key functions of a space-based sensor within the Ballistic Missile Defense System, passing missile tracking data to missile defense interceptors with the accuracy and timeliness necessary to enable them to successfully intercept missile targets," Raytheon said in a statement.
The company said it was "under contract to provide the high-resolution acquisition sensor and gimbaled tracking sensor suite for prime contractor Northrop Grumman Corporation. The payloads are to be integrated by Northrop aboard two satellites as part of an on-orbit missile detection experiment. Raytheon delivered the first payload in March 2006."
Raytheon's Block 6 Acquisition and Tracking Sensor Suite "will detect and track targets above and below the earth's horizon from lift-off through their midcourse trajectories," the company said.
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