Israel has agreed to host U.S.-staffed X-band missile-tracking radar stations on its territory, Haaretz reported yesterday (see GSN, July 30).
The radar stations, to be deployed in the Negev Desert, would provide information to the U.S. early warning satellite network.
Military personnel under the U.S. European Command are expected to start operating the system early next year, Defense News reported. Installation could begin as soon as this fall to help link it to the Israeli Arrow 3 missile defense system now in development (see GSN, Aug. 7).
The stations would permanently base U.S. soldiers in Israel for the first time (Amos Harel, Haaretz, Aug. 17).