Israel will have operational missile defense systems on three different levels within four years, local daily The Jerusalem Post Thursday cited a senior Israeli officer as reporting.
Major General Ido Nehushtan, Israel Air Force (IAF) commander, made the remarks Wednesday while speaking at a conference on missile defense at the Fischer Brothers Institute for Air and Space Strategic Studies, in Herzliya, Xinhua reported.
According to Nehushtan, the Iron Dome system, designed to intercept Qassam and Katyusha rockets fired from the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip, would be operational and deployed along the border in 2010.
A second system, called David's Sling and under development by Rafael and Raytheon to intercept medium-range rockets, would be operational within four years, he said.
Shortly afterwards, the Arrow 3 -- an advanced version of the current long-range system in IAF operation -- would be declared operational, said the commander.
While these systems would be operational in the coming years, currently the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) was not doing an effective job in providing security for the residents of southern Israel, Nehushtan said.
"We feel that we are not providing an appropriate solution to the citizens of Israel," he was quoted as saying.
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