David's Sling successsfully intercepts targets

FORT BELVOIR, Va., April 2 (UPI) -- Israel's middle-tier defense system against missiles and rockets successfully passed a series of tests conducted by Israel and the United States.

The tests of the David's Sling weapon system were conducted by the Israel Missile Defense Organization and the U.S. Missile Defense Agency and involved interception of threat representative targets.

David's Sling shot down targets simulating longer-range missiles like Scuds that could be fired out of Syria or from the Iranian-backed Hezbollah militia in Lebanon.

"We believe that next year it's going to be operational," Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon said of the system.

Israel's Rafael Advanced Defense Systems is the prime contractor for the David's Sling system with Raytheon as a sub-contractor. It's radar comes from Elta, while its Battle Management Center is a product of Elsra, an Elbit subsidiary.

The tests conducted last month is the third series of testing, which began in 2012.