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Israel successfully tests Arrow 3 missile interceptor | Israel successfully tests Arrow 3 missile interceptor |
(about 4 hours later) | |
Israel's defence ministry says it has carried out a successful test of its new missile interceptor system. | Israel's defence ministry says it has carried out a successful test of its new missile interceptor system. |
Arrow 3 detects an incoming missile, intercepts it and destroys it with a second missile above the earth's atmosphere. | Arrow 3 detects an incoming missile, intercepts it and destroys it with a second missile above the earth's atmosphere. |
Officials said the cutting-edge system had been designed to defend Israel from the threat of a strike from Iran. | Officials said the cutting-edge system had been designed to defend Israel from the threat of a strike from Iran. |
Monday's test was conducted alongside US forces and is the first time the system has been tested. | Monday's test was conducted alongside US forces and is the first time the system has been tested. |
Israel already has the Iron Dome missile defence system, which - officials say - intercepted up to 85% of missiles fired from Gaza towards populated areas during the conflict in November 2012. | Israel already has the Iron Dome missile defence system, which - officials say - intercepted up to 85% of missiles fired from Gaza towards populated areas during the conflict in November 2012. |
Defence officials say that because the system will be able to shoot down missiles in space, it could cause nuclear and chemical warheads to disintegrate safely. | Defence officials say that because the system will be able to shoot down missiles in space, it could cause nuclear and chemical warheads to disintegrate safely. |
An official said it was "the first time the interceptor with all of its equipment took off and flew, achieved the velocities, and did the manoeuvres in space". | An official said it was "the first time the interceptor with all of its equipment took off and flew, achieved the velocities, and did the manoeuvres in space". |
He said a full interception would be tested in future but would not say when. The official also declined to say when the system would be fully implemented. | He said a full interception would be tested in future but would not say when. The official also declined to say when the system would be fully implemented. |
Arrow 3 will form part of Israel's multi-layered defence shield. | Arrow 3 will form part of Israel's multi-layered defence shield. |
Iron Dome | Iron Dome |
During the recent Gaza conflict, the Israeli defence ministry claimed the first layer of that shield - the Iron Dome - knocked down 421 of 1,354 short-range missiles fired from Gaza. | During the recent Gaza conflict, the Israeli defence ministry claimed the first layer of that shield - the Iron Dome - knocked down 421 of 1,354 short-range missiles fired from Gaza. |
Of those that landed, 58 hit urban areas while the rest fell in open fields, causing no damage. | Of those that landed, 58 hit urban areas while the rest fell in open fields, causing no damage. |
Monday's test at an Israeli test range over the Mediterranean had nothing to do with growing regional tension, a defence official said. | Monday's test at an Israeli test range over the Mediterranean had nothing to do with growing regional tension, a defence official said. |
"In terms of long-term strength and the whole threat that we see of the ballistic Shahab missiles and other types of missiles from Iran, this is a main factor why we developed it and deployed it," he said. | "In terms of long-term strength and the whole threat that we see of the ballistic Shahab missiles and other types of missiles from Iran, this is a main factor why we developed it and deployed it," he said. |
"But the date of the test is nothing to do with what's going on." | "But the date of the test is nothing to do with what's going on." |
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