Israel and the United States today undertook their largest joint missile defense drill to date, employing multiple missile detection and interceptor systems as well as thousands of military personnel in an effort to head off a simulated missile assault by Iran, Syria and Lebanon, Agence France-Presse reported (see GSN, Oct. 7).
The latest iteration of the nations' biannual Juniper Cobra drill is expected to involve the sea-based Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense System, the Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense system, Patriot air defenses and Israel's Arrow 2 technology (Agence France-Presse/Yahoo!News, Oct. 21).
The drill would also make use of the X-band radar, a system deployed in the Negev Desert that would interface with the Arrow missile defense system, the Jerusalem Post reported (see GSN, July 24). Technicians have focused on increasing the Arrow system's responsiveness
U.S. Navy vessels stationed off the Israeli coast are expected to fire rockets in order to test the defenses. A number of the 17 U.S. warships deployed for the exercise would provide radar data on incoming projectiles (Yaakov Lappin, Jerusalem Post Oct. 21).
The exercise, slated to continue through Nov. 5, is set to culminate in an attempt to shoot down a mock enemy missile.
The Israeli army issued a statement stressing that "the exercise is not in response to any world events," and that planning for the event began more than 18 months ago (AFP).