Israel completes final missile defense system test

The Defense Ministry said the David’s Sling system had successfully intercepted targets in a series of tests conducted with the U.S. Missile Defense Agency, calling it the “final milestone”.

Together with Iron Dome and the Arrow, David’s Sling completes three complementary systems, each providing defense against rockets and missiles of different sizes and with different ranges and projectories.

Israel’s David’s Sling missile defence system has passed final tests and should be ready for deployment next year as part of the country’s efforts to defend against regional threats, officials said Monday.

The announcement came amidst heightened tensions along Israel’s northern border.

Also known as Magic Wand, David’s Sling is being manufactured jointly by Israel’s state-owned Rafael Advanced Defence Systems Ltd and USA firm Raytheon Co.

The medium-range interceptor, developed with United States backing, is due to be handed to the Israeli air force “at the end of the first quarter of 2016”, said Yair Ramati, head of the Israel Missile Defense Organisation.

This is not to say that more low-tech methods of protecting Israelis have been made obsolete.

David’s Sling is created to shoot down rockets held by Israeli antagonists such as Lebanon’s Hezbollah guerrillas with ranges of 100 to 200 km (63-125 miles), as well as cruise missiles and drones. The Lebanese militant group is believed to possess tens of thousands of rockets and missiles.

Image: The David’s Sling weapon system during testing in southern Israel.

Moreover, the missiles can broadcast real-time sensory information and it is also expected to be linked up to the Home Front Command’s command and control systems, which provide civilian projectile alerts and information to air defence systems.