U.S., Israel to hold huge military drill

JERUSALEM, April 14 (UPI) -- The United States and Israel will conduct their most complex military exercise ever, jointly testing three ballistic missile defense systems, officials said.

The exercise, called Juniper Cobra, will be conducted in Israel later this year, and include the Arrow 2 missile interceptor system, the U.S.'s terminal high altitude area defense and the ship-based Aegis ballistic missile defense system, The Jerusalem Post reported Tuesday.

The test also would likely include launching interceptors from these three systems, Israeli military leaders said.

Israeli defense officials told the Post the exercise's goal was to create the needed infrastructure that would permit the country's ballistic missile defense systems to operate together in case the systems had to be deployed.

The exercise was revealed earlier in April during U.S. congressional testimony by U.S. Army Lt. Gen. Patrick J. O'Reilly, director of the U.S. Missile Defense Agency.