The successful high-altitude intercept outside the Earth’s atmosphere of a ballistic missile launched from Yemen marks a historic first for the Arrow 3 anti ballistic missile system developed and produced by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI).
In an interview with N12, Lt Col A’. the commander of the battalion that operates Arrow, provides more details about the interception, and explains why this is without precedent: “This was a dangerous ballistic missile that could have caused a great deal of damage to the State of Israel; we demonstrated an important and strategic capability.
A historic moment: Last Thursday, the highest and furthest ever interception against an operational ballistic missile launched against the State of Israel took place, some 100 km from Eilat (Israel’s southern-most port). The Iranian-made missile was launched by the Houthis in Yemen. Lt Col A’, commander of the Israeli battalion which operates the Arrow system explained: “This represents a successful interception of a dangerous ballistic missile; one that contains large amounts of explosives, and which could, if it had struck, have caused significant damage to the State of Israel.” He added: “We have to deal with the possibility of long-range ballistic missiles coming from all directions, whether conventional or non-conventional.”
The battalion commander described this unprecedented success: “The Arrow air-defence system can deal with long-range ballistic threats from whichever direction they come (360 degrees) – and can also deal simultaneously with missile barrages on several fronts. This is a source of considerable pride and excitement, an historic event that demonstrates an important and strategic capability – and anyone who thinks of trying to challenge us whether by threats from the air or on the ground will fail. The Israel defence Force (IDF) is ready and primed for such eventualities.”
Lt Col A’, commander of the Arrow battalion.
Photograph: IDF Spokesperson’s Unit
The Arrow 3 interceptor entered operation service in 2017 but was used for the first time apart from in test firings only last Thursday – to deal with the reality of an actual incoming threat and prove its capabilities. Arrow 3 is the most-advanced air-defence system of its kind in the world, capable of intercepting ballistic missiles in space, outside the Earth’s atmosphere. Thanks to its long-range capability it can simultaneously intercept tens of potential threats from multiple theaters of operation.
Arrow system operators on standby
Photograph: IDF Spokesperson’s Unit
“We can detect the enemy launch very rapidly – and because of this we can provide an early-warning to Israel’s citizens so that they can reach safe rooms or shelters. From the moment that our systems capture the event, the decision to fire can be reached very quickly. In the few short minutes before intercept with the ballistic missile, the operators were working in total silence – until the moment when they realized, with huge relief, that the intercept had been successful,” recalls the battalion commander.
The first ever operational intercept by the Arrow 3 system.
Photograph: IDF Spokesperson’s Unit
The Arrow 3 interceptor is an advanced version of the Arrow 2 missile interceptor and can reach much greater altitudes than the previous system. The interceptor is launched within seconds to reach an unimaginable altitude above the Earth’s atmosphere at very high speed – and the decision whether or not to intercept, and by what means, must be taken quickly, so as not to miss the opportunity to intercept the incoming threat: “within a few seconds of getting the initial warning, the operators must decide which interception weapons system is the most appropriate, depending on the type of missile and anticipated hit point, while also calculating whether the incoming missile may fall on Israeli territory or not.
Israel’s air-defence system is comprised of several battalions, each having has its own specialist professional interceptors and specialists to deal with the various weapons systems – whether Iron Dome, David’s Sling, or Arrow. Battalion 136 is the only battalion trained to deal with Arrow. Although the battalion commander, Lt Col A’, has only been in this post for the last three months, he will never forget the moments in which the successful intercept occurred: “yesterday we were privileged to launch an Arrow 3 interceptor, the best interceptor of its kind that Israel has in its possession. It is humbling to understand the technological wonders we have in our possession. And it is a source of pride that we were able to protect our country and homes. Anyone thinking of trying to challenge us by means of airborne threats should think again.”
Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) salutes those responsible for the first operational intercept by Arrow 3. IAI’s CEO, Boaz Levy, stated: “This is truly an historic interception, which stresses strategically the State of Israel’s multilayer solutions against long-range ballistic missile threats. The Arrow system is the main component in the multilayer deployment by Israel’s Air Force against ballistic missiles, and shows yet again that the State of Israel possesses the technologies which enable it to essentially ‘hit a bullet with a bullet’, in space, at altitudes beyond the Earth’s atmosphere, and also has the people behind the systems – those that dreamed up, planned, and built the systems, as well as those who operate them.”
Levy added that “the first operational interception using the Arrow 3 system, which intercepted a long-range surface-to-surface missile launched toward Eilat far from Israel’s borders, together with the series of interceptions in recent days using the Arrow 2 system, highlight the capabilities developed by Israel Aerospace Industries under the leadership of Israel’s Ministry of defence and the US Missile defence Agency.”
