For the first time, Israel, jointly with the US Missile Defence Agency (MDA), will test the Arrow-3 anti-ballistic missile system in the US state of Alaska.
According to a statement yesterday by Israel’s Channel 2, the test will take place at Alaska’s Kodiak test site and is scheduled to be accomplished within few months. The location was chosen given its relative isolation as there is a possibility of falling shrapnel after the interception.
The system is set to be tested against a target similar in behavior to the advanced ballistic missiles, which are currently being developed, and have already been achieved, by Iran.
#US and #Israel schedule joint-trial of the #Arrow3 missile in #Alaska https://t.co/tmBFO4GS0l
— JerusalemOnline (@JOL_NEWS) June 11, 2017
The Arrow-3 is an exoatmospheric anti-ballistic missile intended to destroy targets outside the earth’s atmosphere, which enables the system to neutralize any threat, including a missile carrying a nuclear warhead, without creating any damage on the ground below. Sometimes, the system is used to intercept satellites.
Official sources at the center of the spaceport on Kodiak Island announced that the Arrow-3 test will cost an estimated $80 million, with a portion being funded by the US. The sources added that a town hall meeting is set to be held next Wednesday 14 June to answer questions about the missile’s 2018 testing plan.
Alaska Aerospace CEO, Craig Campbell, recently revealed that the test is part of a five to six-year, $80.4 million contract announced a year ago between the MDA and the Alaska Aerospace Corporation.
.@BrianMastFL introduces bill to advance the U.S.-Israel Arrow 3 system to defend against long-range missile attacks https://t.co/NPkPxPPVDj pic.twitter.com/pXlNetI3ar
— Ripon Advance (@RiponAdvance) May 17, 2017
The missile, which is jointly managed by MDA and the Israel Missile Defense Organization, was developed by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) and Boeing Company, Campbell explained.
(MEMO, PC, Social Media)
Alaska media has said nothing about the possibility of falling shrapnel. My brother lives a mile away. SO do many of my freinds. I do not know what “relatively isolated” means. However, Kodiak is the home of many, many people. I am concerned and will attend the meeting. I really think it is past the time where anyone can actually make a difference. I would say the changing the “nature” of our rocket launch site to one of “military defense” was what everyone was told would NEVER happen when it was built. We knew it was a lie back them. The Military Industrial Complex is alive and well in my town. We can’t avoid. Thank you for listening. Research the objections and their promises.
this is not the first launch..in 2013 and 2015 Israel tested the launches and it was called ‘successful’