Israel tests new missile system

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TEL AVIV, Israel, Nov. 26 (UPI) -- Israel has recently tested the David's Sling missile-defense system designed to knock out medium- and long-range rockets, officials said.

The Defense Ministry said Sunday a David's Sling battery stationed in southern Israel fired a two-stage interceptor missile that struck an incoming missile. No warhead was attached to the missile in the trial but the army plans to use warheads in future tests, Haaretz reported.

The system, also known as Magic Wand, is expected to become operational by 2014 or 2015.

Military officials said it will give Israel a multilayer missile-defense system, together with its Iron Dome and Arrow systems, the Hebrew language daily Yedioth Ahronoth reported.

All three systems offer Israel the ability to counter rockets fired from Gaza, southern Lebanon or Iran, the newspaper said.

"The major success of Iron Dome batteries in Operation Pillar of Defense clarifies beyond doubt the huge importance of missile-defense programs," Defense Minister Ehud Barak said Sunday. "The state of Israel is a world leader in this field, thanks to its Israeli defense industries and their people."

David's Sling was developed by the Defense Ministry, the Israeli company Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, the U.S. Missile Defense Agency and the American defense contractor Raytheon.