Israel to test Arrow missile on U.S. Pacific range
By David Morgan
WASHINGTON, July 14 (Reuters) - Israel will soon test an Arrow interceptor missile on a U.S. missile range in the Pacific Ocean in a joint exercise that also will involve three U.S. missile defense systems, a top U.S. general said on Tuesday.
Army Lieutenant General Patrick O'Reilly, director of the Pentagon's Missile Defense Agency, said the test will allow Israel to measure its advanced Arrow system against a target with a range of more than 620 miles (1,000 km), too long for previous Arrow test sites in the eastern Mediterranean.
The Arrow system, jointly developed by Israel and the United States, is designed to defend the Jewish state against possible ballistic missile attacks from Iran and Syria.
"They are having a flight test soon this summer," O'Reilly told reporters.
"They're limited to the range of the missile they can test in the eastern Mediterranean. There's a safety issue," he said. "That's the primary purpose of them coming to the United States to use our test range."
O'Reilly did not say when the test flight would occur and other Pentagon officials were not immediately available for comment.
"The upcoming test also provides us the opportunity to have the Patriot system, the THAAD system and the Aegis system all interacting with the Arrow system so that we're demonstrating full interoperability as we execute this test," he added.
Israel carried out a successful test launch of its Arrow II interceptor missile in April, shooting down a target designed to simulate an Iranian Shehab missile over the Mediterranean.
Israel Radio said the April exercise was the 16th test launch of an Arrow. A defense source in Israel said 90 percent of the tests have been successful.
At least two Arrow batteries have been deployed in Israel, which has been testing the system to improve its performance at high altitudes against multiple incoming missiles.
Israel fears that Iran's uranium enrichment program is aimed at producing nuclear weapons that could be placed on medium- to long-range missiles. Iran denies the allegation. (Additional reporting by Dan Williams in Jerusalem; Editing by Bill Trott)
WASHINGTON, July 14 (Reuters) - Israel will soon test an Arrow interceptor missile on a U.S. missile range in the Pacific Ocean in a joint exercise that also will involve three U.S. missile defense systems, a top U.S. general said on Tuesday.
Army Lieutenant General Patrick O'Reilly, director of the Pentagon's Missile Defense Agency, said the test will allow Israel to measure its advanced Arrow system against a target with a range of more than 620 miles (1,000 km), too long for previous Arrow test sites in the eastern Mediterranean.
The Arrow system, jointly developed by Israel and the United States, is designed to defend the Jewish state against possible ballistic missile attacks from Iran and Syria.
"They are having a flight test soon this summer," O'Reilly told reporters.
"They're limited to the range of the missile they can test in the eastern Mediterranean. There's a safety issue," he said. "That's the primary purpose of them coming to the United States to use our test range."
O'Reilly did not say when the test flight would occur and other Pentagon officials were not immediately available for comment.
"The upcoming test also provides us the opportunity to have the Patriot system, the THAAD system and the Aegis system all interacting with the Arrow system so that we're demonstrating full interoperability as we execute this test," he added.
Israel carried out a successful test launch of its Arrow II interceptor missile in April, shooting down a target designed to simulate an Iranian Shehab missile over the Mediterranean.
Israel Radio said the April exercise was the 16th test launch of an Arrow. A defense source in Israel said 90 percent of the tests have been successful.
At least two Arrow batteries have been deployed in Israel, which has been testing the system to improve its performance at high altitudes against multiple incoming missiles.
Israel fears that Iran's uranium enrichment program is aimed at producing nuclear weapons that could be placed on medium- to long-range missiles. Iran denies the allegation. (Additional reporting by Dan Williams in Jerusalem; Editing by Bill Trott)
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