Israel carried out a first successful test Monday of its Arrow 3 missile interceptor, firing it into space from a coastal launching pad, the military said, DPA reported.
The Arrow 3 system is designed to intercept long-range missiles and is a major part of the multi-layered air defence system Israel is developing.
The test was designed to examine the Arrow 3's fly-out capabilities, although no dummy missile was intercepted.
The interceptor is set to become operational this year.
The interceptor "obtained hypersonic speed, and reached an altitude of 100 kilometres, entering space ... Its engine stopped after six minutes," the Jerusalem Post quoted an unnamed defence source as saying.
The United States gave Israel 211 million dollars for development of the Arrow 3 system in 2012, and will transfer 269 million dollars this year.
The system is part of a multi-layer defence shield, which consists of the Arrow 3, Arrow 2, which stops ballistic missiles in the upper atmosphere, David's Sling, which is still being developed and is intended to stop intermediate rockets and missiles, and the Iron Dome, which takes out short- and medium-range rockets.
The test was designed to examine the Arrow 3's fly-out capabilities, although no dummy missile was intercepted.
The interceptor is set to become operational this year.
The interceptor "obtained hypersonic speed, and reached an altitude of 100 kilometres, entering space ... Its engine stopped after six minutes," the Jerusalem Post quoted an unnamed defence source as saying.
The United States gave Israel 211 million dollars for development of the Arrow 3 system in 2012, and will transfer 269 million dollars this year.
The system is part of a multi-layer defence shield, which consists of the Arrow 3, Arrow 2, which stops ballistic missiles in the upper atmosphere, David's Sling, which is still being developed and is intended to stop intermediate rockets and missiles, and the Iron Dome, which takes out short- and medium-range rockets.
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