Israel to deploy Gaza rocket interceptor by June: defense official

(Photo added by BeeSting)

www.chinaview.cn 2010-01-07 05:39:25

JERUSALEM, Jan. 6 (Xinhua) -- An Israeli interceptor system developed to shoot down the short-range rockets and mortar bombs used by Palestinian militants will be deployed outside the Gaza Strip by June, local daily Ha'aretz cited an Israeli defense official as reporting Wednesday.

"Our plan is to be operational by the mid-point of 2010," the defense official was quoted as saying on Wednesday.

Earlier, the Israel Defense Forces announced that the defense establishment this week successfully intercepted multiple salvoes in field trials using the newly developed Iron Dome system, adding that military air-defense units were already training on it.

During tests conducted over the course of the last few days, the system managed to intercept a number of rockets, by simultaneously launching its own target missiles, said Ha'aretz.

It added that over the summer, the Iron Dome passed its first live trial in intercepting the short-range rockets favored by Palestinian and Lebanese militants.

According to the newspaper, Iron Dome's success could improve the prospects of Israel eventually ceding West Bank land to the Palestinians, as Israeli officials have said that any withdrawal should be conditional on the deployment of a reliable defense against rocket attacks.

Designed by state-owned Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Ltd., Iron Dome uses small guided missiles to blow up Katyusha-style rockets. According to the defense official, the system would be capable of intercepting rockets with ranges of between 5 km and 70km.

The project was spurred by Israel's 2006 war with Lebanese Hezbollah guerrillas, during which 4,000 rockets rained down on its northern border communities, said Ha'aretz.

Editor: Mu Xuequan http://theasiandefence.blogspot.com/2009/04/israel-tests-arrow-ballistic-missile.html Our friend, RonyIsrael, had given us information about Israel's missile defense system last April, 2009. The website listed above has photos and Israel's announcement, dated April 8, 2009.