Arrow Milestone

The U.S. Missile Defense Agency and Israel's Missile Defense Organization recently conducted a target-tracking test of the Arrow Weapon System over the Mediterranean Sea, calling it a "major milestone" for the program.

According to a Feb. 10 MDA statement, "data collected from the flight test will be used to verify functionality of the Block 4 AWS." Further:

This test, designated Block 4 System Verification Flight Test (B4SVFT), was a target-only tracking exercise. During the test, the AWS Super Green Pine fire control radar tracked a Blue Sparrow target, representing potential ballistic missile threats facing Israel. The radar transferred information to the Citron Tree battle management controller, which prepared a simulated intercept solution. Elements of the U.S. Ballistic Missile Defense System (BMDS) successfully performed interoperability with the AWS and collected data.

The success of the test is the final test before delivery of the Block 4 Arrow Weapon System. This was a major milestone in the development of the Arrow Weapon System and provides confidence in operational Israeli capabilities to defeat the developing ballistic missile threat.

Personnel from the Israel Missile Defense Organization and U.S. Missile Defense Agency conducted the flight test. The main contractor for the integration and development of the Arrow Weapon System is MLM of the Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI). ELTA Industries developed the "Super Green Pine" radar. Tadiran Electronic Systems, Ltd. developed the "Citron Tree" battle management controller.

According to MDA's just-released budget justification documents, the agency is asking Congress for nearly $99.9 million for Israeli cooperative missile defense efforts in fiscal year 2013, and $502.6 million over the five-year budget plan.