Israeli Air Force receives its first Arrow 3 missile defense system

The Israeli Air Force receives its first Arrow 3 missile defense system, a little over a year after its first real-world test, the Defense Ministry says.

After years of development and testing, the system is now considered “operational,” though it will continue to undergo checks and improvements, the ministry says.

The Arrow 3, which was developed in a joint Israeli-American program, is designed to shoot down intercontinental ballistic missiles outside the atmosphere, intercepting the weapons and their nuclear, biological or chemical warheads close to their launch sites.

The missile defense system is considered to be one of the most advanced in the world.

“The entrance of the Arrow 3 into the air force’s operational network will mark a meaningful leap in the State of Israel’s air defense envelope. Along with the Arrow 2 system, this will add interception opportunities, which will lessen the chances of a strike against the State of Israel,” the ministry says.

Many of the shared systems between the Arrow 2 and Arrow 3 have also been upgraded, the ministry says.

— Judah Ari Gross