Israel successfully tests Arrow 3 ballistic missile interceptor

Israel announced Thursday to have successfully test-launched an Arrow 3 ballistic missile interceptor, the first validation of the country's most advanced missile defense system.

The test, which was conducted at a coastal military base south of Tel Aviv, was run jointly by the Ministry of Defense, the Israeli Aerospace Industries, the Israeli Air Force, and the United States' Missile Defense Agency.

The missile interceptor operates outside the earth's atmosphere, and is designed to seek and destroy advanced ballistic missiles close to their launch sites.

The project was jointly developed by the Aerospace Industries' subsidiary Elta and the U.S.-based Boeing Company.

In 2014, the fully operational system was stalled due to a faulty Arrow 3 test-launch.

"Today's successful test is a significant milestone and a major step in Israel's operational capability of one of its most important projects," stated Yossi Weiss, Aerospace Industries CEO.

The Defense Ministry said test result analyses revealed that the system successfully calculated the trajectory of a Sparrow target missile, and then struck it dozens of kilometers above earth.

Israel is already equipped with an anti-missile defense system called Iron Dome, which includes nine batteries deployed throughout the country from north to south.

Iron Dome's purpose is to shoot down short-range rockets.

Long-range missiles on the other hand are intercepted by Israel's Arrow 2 missiles, deployed throughout the country.

Iron Dome was usefully used during Israel's 51-day offensive against the Gaza Strip last summer. Endit