Independent Working Group Report: Missile Defense, the Space Relationship, and the Twenty-First Century. »»
July 30, 2010
IWG Report 2009
Independent Working Group Report: Missile Defense, the Space Relationship, and the Twenty-First Century. »»
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Home :: Missile Defense Systems
Arrow
| Country: | Israel |
|---|---|
| Warhead: | HE |
| Range: | 100 km |
| Basing: | Land |
| In Service: | 2000 |
| Associated Country: | United States |
Details
Arrow, a joint project of Israel and the United States, is one of the most advanced missile defense programs currently in existence. It consists of high-altitude interceptors, deployed in Israel, able to seek and destroy incoming ballistic missiles in their terminal phase, i.e. during the final minutes of descent.
As a small nation surrounded by enemies armed with short and medium-range missiles, Israel’s need for missile defense is considerable. During the 1991 Persian Gulf War, Saddam Hussein launched Scud missiles at Israel in what many believe was an attempt to unite the Arab nations against a common enemy. Although the recent U.S. invasion eliminated the Iraqi menace, Israel is still threatened by Syria’s Scuds and Iran’s longer-range Shabab-3 missiles. Arrow now gives Israel the ability to defend itself against these weapons of mass destruction.
The Arrow project began in the late 1980s as an Israeli demonstration model submitted to President Reagan’s Strategic Defense Initiative. Since 1988, the U.S. has given Israel more than $1 billion in grants for research and development. In fiscal year 2004, Congress appropriated $154.8 million for the Arrow project, up from $145.7 million the previous year. In April 2004, Israel Aircraft Industries announced a partnership with Boeing to develop components for the system. It is estimated that Boeing’s total long-term contract will exceed $225 million.
Arrow consists of three main components: a phased array radar, a fire control center, and a high-altitude interceptor missile. The phased array radar, known as “Green Pine,” is capable of detecting incoming warheads at a distance of 500 kilometers. This provides adequate radar coverage, since missiles launched at Israel from other Middle Eastern nations will not appear over the horizon before this distance.
The system is designed to work quickly and efficiently. As soon as Green Pine detects an incoming missile, the fire control center, called “Citron Tree,” launches its interceptor missile. The 23-foot long interceptor shoots toward the threat at nine times the speed of sound, and reaches a height of 30 miles in less than three minutes. Once it gets within two seconds of its target, Arrow’s optical detectors aims for the incoming missile’s warhead.
The interceptor’s own explosive warhead detonates within 40 to 50 yards of the missile, allowing Arrow to miss its target and still neutralize the threat. In this manner, Arrow differs from U.S. interceptors like the Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) and the Theater High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD), which rely on hit-to-kill technology in which the kinetic force of a precise impact causes the destruction of the threat.
Arrow’s speed and range (approximately 100 kilometers) allow it to intercept incoming missiles at a high enough altitude so that any nuclear, chemical, or biological weapons do not scatter over Israel’s cities and military targets. This high-speed, high-altitude intercept also gives Citron Tree enough time to launch a second interceptor in the event that the first one fails to destroy its target. The fire control center is capable of operating up to 14 interceptors at the same time.
Israel has tested the interceptor 12 times and the entire weapons system seven times. On December 16, 2003, an Arrow interceptor from the Palmachim Air Force Base (south of Tel Aviv) destroyed a Black Sparrow test missile dropped from a F-15 fighter. The flight path of the Black Sparrow was intended to simulate an incoming Scud missile heading toward the Israeli shore.
In a more realistic test on July 29, 2004, an Arrow interceptor launched from the U.S. Naval Air Warfare Center at Point Magu (near Los Angeles) successfully destroyed an actual Scud missile over the Pacific Ocean. The Scud was launched from a sea-based platform at its maximum range and speed. After two minutes, Arrow’s Green Pine radar picked up the incoming threat and relayed the information to the Citron Tree battle management center. After another three minutes, the Arrow interceptor was launched. It climbed toward the incoming missile for 90 seconds and detonated against its target at an altitude of 40 kilometers, completely destroying it.
Israel presently has two Arrow batteries deployed on its soil, one at Palmachim to protect Tel Aviv and the other at Ein Shemer near Hadera. The Israeli Defense Force plans to procure 200 interceptors; 100 for each battery. A third battery is in development in the south. Israel is confident that these batteries will defend its citizens against threats from surrounding hostile nations. Many believe that if Israel is attacked by the same number of missiles that Saddam Hussein launched in 1991, Arrow will ensure that Israeli cities see only smoke and scattered debris.
For the U.S., Arrow has provided important technical and operational data. It remains a key element in the Missile Defense Agency’s plan for a layered missile defense architecture, and an example of a successful, affordable program. At the moment, however, the U.S. does not have plans to procure and deploy Arrow.
Sources
American-Israeli Cooperative Enterprise.
“Arrow ABM System May be Infected with a Trojan Horse Virus.” IsraelNationalNews.com, 16 February 2004.
ARROW Weapon System.
Barzilai, Amnon. “An Arrow to the Heart.” Haaretz, 15 November 2002.
“Boeing Gets $78 Mln Contract for Israeli Arrow.” Reuters News, 28 April 2004.
Butler, Amy. “$450 Million Plus-Up To Broaden Near-Term Missile Defense Program.” Defense Daily, 14 January 2004.
Center for Defense Information.
Entous, Adam. “With U.S. Help, Israel May Boost Missile Production.” Reuters News, 16 January 2004.
Frisch, Felix. “Israel Business Arena: Boeing To Make ‘Arrow’ Missile Components.” Israel Business Arena, 28 April 2004.
Graham, Bradley. “U.S. Missile Defense Set to Get Early Start; Pentagon Planning to Deploy Interceptors At Alaskan Military Base This Summer.” The Washington Post, 2 February 2004.
Harel, Amos. “Arrow Anti-missile Defense System Successfully Tested in U.S.” Haaretz, 30 July 2004.
“IAI Adds ABM Capabilities to Barak.” Flight International, 6 January 2004.
“Israel Could Boost Production of Arrow ATBM.” Forecast International Press Releases, 19 January 2004.
“Israel’s Scores Hit In Latest Missile Defense Test.” Defense Daily International, 19 December 2003.
Miller, John J. “Israel’s Arrow Defense: How Israel Has Prepared for the Next Strike.” National Review Online, 15 October 2002.
O’Sullivan, Arieh. “Arrow Missile Test Succeeds.” The Jerusalem Post, 17 December 2003.
Parmalee, Patricia J. “Arrow Missile Defense System Destroys Black Sparrow Target.” Aviation Week & Space Technology, 22 December 2003.
Roosevelt, Ann. “MDA Actively Working To Include International Partners.” Defense Daily International, 30 April 2004.
Selinger, Marc. “GMD Booster Test Delayed; Arrow Intercept Successful.” Aerospace Daily, 17 December 2003.
Smith, Daniel V. “First U.S. Test of Arrow Missile Defense System Goes ‘Beautifully:’ Joint U.S.-Israeli Anti-Missile System Successfully Downs ‘Threat’ Over California Coastline.” JINSA Online, 4 August 2004.
“Successful Deployment of Arrow Missile System Underpins Strong U.S.-Israel Cooperation,” ISRAEL21c, 1 August 2004.
Israeli Arrow Test Fails
Although a test of the Arrow-2 interceptor on July 29 resulted in the successful destruction of an actual Scud-B missile, another attempt today showed the Arrow unable to destroy a target made to simulate the more sophisticated Iranian Shahab-3.
Chris Taylor, spokesman for the U.S. Missile Defense Agency which is jointly developing the Arrow with Israel, commented that “The engineers don’t yet know what happened.”
The test, the 13th Arrow intercept test and the eighth test of the complete weapon system, was against an air-launched target, dropped from a C-17 aircraft, made to simulate a missile similar to a threat Israel could face.
The target was dropped 360 miles west-northwest of San Nicolas Island, after which its booster ignited. The arrow Green Pine radar picked up the target, and the Arrow interceptor was launched from San Nicolas.
According to Israeli news sources, the test involved a missile with dual warheads, one actual and one “dummy,” and although the Arrow accurately discerned the actual warhead it failed to intercept it.
» More stories on: Israel, Testing - Foreign
» Missile system details for: Arrow
Arrow Interceptor Test Successful: Scud Destroyed
The Arrow missile defense system, jointly developed by Israel and the United States, successfully intercepted an incoming Scud missile. Both missiles were fired from locations near Los Angeles, and the interception took place over the Pacific Ocean.
The test, described as both “realistic” and “crucial,” has been planned for two years. It marks the seventh test of the full Arrow system and the twelfth test of the Arrow interceptor. The Scud was launched from a U.S. Naval Air Warfare Center at Point Magu near Los Angeles. The Arrow system’s radar, called Green Pine, directed the interceptor to its target. Although an earlier report from the Indian Express said that the U.S. Defense Department refused to say where the Scud came from, Haaretz today claimed that the Scud was confiscated from Iraq. In the previous test, in December 2003, the Arrow intercepted a Black Sparrow missile, also produced by Israel.
The Arrow has been operational in Israel since 2000, and two batteries of the missiles are currently deployed, at Ein Shemer and Palmahim. A number of other countries, such as India, are considering purchasing one or more of various competing missile defense systems, including the Arrow, the American Patriot PAC-3, and the Russian S-300 and S-400.
Originally designed to protect against Iraqi Scuds and Al Hussein missiles, the future of the Arrow for Israel will likely be to defend against potential attacks by Iran’s Shahab-3. Iran on Monday threatened to wipe Israel “off the map” if either Israel or the United States attempted to destroy Iran’s nuclear facilities.
» More stories on: Allies, Israel, Testing - American, Testing - Foreign
» Missile system details for: Arrow
New Arrow II Missile Interceptors
A joint project between Boeing and Israel Aircraft Industries (IAI) has begun to begin producing new missile interceptors for Israel’s Arrow II ballistic missile defense program. New deliveries are due in Israel by the end of 2004, where they will be assembled.
Arieh Herzog, director of the Israel Missile Defense Organization, responded to criticisms about the threat posed to Israel, by noting that the threat from missiles will never quite return to nothing:
Obviously, events of the past year have brought us good news in terms of a diminished number of countries that can threaten Israel with ballistic missiles. But we have to remember that nothing moves backward. As long as the Americans are in Iraq, the threat is checked. But if the Americans leave, we don’t know what kind of regime will be there. Without American supervision, the Iraqi ballistic missile program and its capabilities could be quickly reconstituted.
» More stories on: Allies, Israel
» Missile system details for: Arrow
Israel Doubling Range of Arrow-2
Israel has nearly doubled the intercept range of the Arrow-2 missile defense interceptor, reports the Middle East Newsline. The current altitude range is said to be over 200,000 feet, or 60 kilometers, as confirmed by a December 16, 2003 test against a Scud-D medium-range missile. The upgrades will be integrated into Israel’s two deployed Arrow-2 batteries.
» Being contract for Arrow 2 interceptors
» More stories on: Israel
» Missile system details for: Arrow
Israel Arrow 2 Intercept Exceeds Expectations
On December 16, the Israel Air Force conducted the eleventh firing of the Arrow 2 ballistic missile interceptor, the sixth test of the complete Arrow Weapon System, including an interception. The successful intercept test was described as exceeding expectations, according to the December 30 edition of Janes Defense Weekly.
The test took place with the interceptor launched from the Palmachim air force base. The Arrow missile intercepted a Rafael Armament Development Authority Black Sparrow target missile which had been dropped by an Israel F-15 aircraft and made to simulate a medium-range ballistic missile.
The test, said one Israeli official, confirmed that the system “almost doubled the interception altitude of the Arrow,” making them useful against such longer range threats as Iran’s Shahab MRBM. “This was the most complex Arrow test we ever conducted and the results were even beyond our expectations,” the source said. Plans for future tests include the interception of an actual SCUD MRBM in 2004, to take place in the United States. The US Missile Defense Agency co-manages the Arrow program.
» Jan. 17: China Daily: U.S. to increase production of Israeli Arrow Interceptor
» JINSA: Another Arrow Success
» More stories on: Allies, Technology, Testing - Foreign
» Missile system details for: Arrow
Miller on Israel’s Arrow Missile Defense system
Miller discusses the advances in Israel’s Arrow deployments.
» More stories on: Analysis
» Missile system details for: Arrow
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