Israel tests Arrow-3 BMD

warrior monk

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US-Israel Arrow-3 Intercepts Target in Space

TEL AVIV — The US-Israel Arrow Weapon System (AWS) and its Upper-Tier Arrow-3 missile scored its first intercept Thursday in a complex test designed to validate how the system can detect, identify, track and then discriminate real from decoy targets traveling quickly through space.

The milestone test, conducted over the Mediterranean Sea, paves the way toward low-rate initial production of the exo-atmospheric interceptor developed by state-owned Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) and supported by its US partner, Boeing, program officials said.

Less than three minutes after an Israel Air Force fighter launched an improved Silver Sparrow target missile at 8:12 a.m. over the Mediterranean Sea, program officials at Palmachim Air Base launched the two-stage Arrow-3, which uses pivoting optical sensors and its own upper-stage kick motor to steer itself precisely into incoming targets.

By 8:17 a.m., the system had selected from among several objects flying through space — each not much larger than a one liter bottle of Coke — and steered its warhead into a direct hit of the correct target, program officials said.

“The Arrow system in operational configuration detected and selected the right target from several in exo-atmospheric conditions. We intercepted the correct target very accurately as planned from the beginning,” said Yair Ramati, director of the Israel Missile Defense Organization (IMDO).

“As soon as Arrow-3 opened its sensor, it activated its warhead very precisely into the middle of the correct target,” said Boaz Levy, general manager of IAI’s Systems, Missiles and Space Group.

“It was truly unprecedented, and it all occurred deep in space,” Levy added.

In a Thursday briefing, Ramati said the test brings the program “back on track” after a belatedly declared “no test” following an attempted interception in September 2014. In that test, while the AWS succeeded in detecting and tracking the target, the Silver Sparrow target missile, developed by state-owned Rafael, failed to eject its so-called low-mass warhead target.

“After two successful flyouts, one no-test and now one successful interception, we’re looking forward to working together with the US Missile Defense Agency” on continued spiral development and eventual deployment of Arrow-3 as part of the AWS, Ramati said.

Designed to fly nearly twice as high at half the weight of Arrow-2, the Arrow-3 will constitute Israel’s upper-most layer of the Arrow Weapon System in defense against advanced, maneuvering Iranian Shihab-class ballistic missiles.

The interceptor is expected to provide multiple opportunities to destroy targets in space, with backup provided by Arrow-2, which is designed to intercept targets high in Earth’s atmosphere.

In salvo scenarios, Arrow-3 will be able to shoot twice against a single target, assess for battle damage and, if needed, divert to other approaching threats.

According to Pentagon budget justification documents, the upper-tier Arrow-3 “will increase the system’s capability against advanced threats by providing approximately four times the current Arrow-2 battlespace.”

Additional flight tests are planned next year as IMDO and the Pentagon’s Missile Defense Agency continue the joint program of progressive improvements and interoperability of the AWS.

“The success of the Arrow 3 system today … is an important step toward one of the most important projects of the state of Israel and for Israel Aerospace Industries," said Joseph Weiss, IAI’s president and chief executive officer.

The Block 4.5 AWS tested Thursday includes the Super Green Pine radar by IAI’s Elta Systems, the Citron Tree Battle Management Center and the Hazlenut Tree Launcher Control Center by Elbit Systems. State-owned Israel Military Industries produces the rocket motor for Arrow-2 and Arrow-3, with Boeing supporting the program with US-based production of the Arrow intercepting missiles.

http://www.defensenews.com/story/de...ael-arrow-3-intercepts-target-space/77087084/
 

warrior monk

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The Arrow-3 system is the upper tier of Israeli BMD. It has tested a new communications system, a new guidance system, and a new sensor technology. Its interceptor is a two-stage solid fuel interceptor that destroys its target by means of an exo atmospheric kill vehicle. It shoots down its target outside the atmosphere . The kill vehicle is capable of maneuvering in space using thrust-vectoring (Just like our own PDV). An additional Arrow-3 innovation is that the kill vehicle does not carry explosives, and is designed to make a direct hit on a target and destroy it with only a hit-to-kill technology.
Range -250 kms
 

warrior monk

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S-400 is more of a super SAM than a BMD ( Ballistic missile defence ) the 48N6E2 can destroy missiles of upto 2800 m/sec i.e under 2000 km range . The 77N6-N and 77N6-N1 missiles can hit targets traveling at 5000 m/ sec which makes it capable of targeting missiles of upto 5500 km range. So S-400 has limited ballistic missile defence capability . It can destroy most Paki missiles other than Saheen 3 which has 4000 m/sec re entry speed this is where our own PDV comes which has an IIR seeker and can shoot down missiles traveling at 3500 m/sec but in the future phase 2 with better algorithms and on board computers it's exo atmospheric kill vehicle can shoot down ICBMs travelling at more than 5000 m/sec .
Arrow 3 is better than most S-400 missiles because Arrow is for BMD only and S-400 is was not created for BMD except for 77N6-N and 77N6-N1 missiles which will also be used in S-500 systems which will be true BMD .
India is making it's own BMD S-400 is a super SAM not BMD . S-400 can shoot down most stealth aircraft and can work in highly contested airspace.
 

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