Israel and the U.S. completed a successful test of the Arrow 3 weapon system in Alaska.

According to the U.S. Missile Defense Agency’s statement, Arrow 3 interceptor destroyed target missiles during the tests at Pacific Spaceport Complex-Alaska in Kodiak, Alaska.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, “The Arrow 3 successfully conducted exo-atmospheric intercepts of ballistic missiles, at unprecedented heights and speeds,” said.

According to The Times of Israel, the Arrow 3 system, a more advanced model of the Arrow and Arrow 2, was declared operational in January 2017. The air defense system, developed as a joint project with the US, is designed to shoot down ballistic missiles — like those Israel fears Iran may one day launch at it — while the incoming projectile is still outside the earth’s atmosphere.

The Arrow 3 was last tested in January from the Palmachim air base in central Israel. Its final test was marked a success but earlier tries in the series had failed. The system was also trialed last July as part of a broad missile defense exercise that also checked the capabilities of the short-range Iron Dome and medium-range David’s Sling.

Before that, the system was successfully tested in February 2018, after months of delays and technical problems. In January, an exercise was called off because of a data transfer problem and in December a test was canceled over safety concerns.

Source: www.defenceandtechnology.com