The Missile Defense Agency (MDA) and Israel Missile Defense Organization (IMDO) successfully conducted a series of intercept tests of the David’s Sling missile defense system on March 18.
This set of tests, called David’s Sling Test-6 (DST-6), was the sixth in a series with the weapon.
David’s Sling is a cooperative effort between the U.S. and Israel to develop defenses against short range ballistic missiles and large caliber rockets. MDA said this test series looked at capabilities and performance of the entire David’s Sling system.
“These successful tests are an important milestone in operational capability of Israel to defend itself against existing and future threats in the region,” the agency said in a statement.
Information form the test is being analyzed and will be used for ongoing development and weapon fielding.
“This test series provides confidence in future Israeli capabilities to defend against large-caliber rockets and other developing threats,” MDA said.
The Israel Missile Defense Organization of the Israel Ministry of Defense and the US Missile Defense Agency, Successfully Completed a Series of Interception Tests of the David’s Sling Aerial Defense System pic.twitter.com/L2snuM0hnn
— Ministry of Defense (@Israel_MOD) March 19, 2019
IMDO is part of Israel’ Directorate of Defense Research and Development (DDR&D). The prime contractor for David’s Sling is
Rafael. Other Israeli major missile and rocket defense programs include the Arrow-2 for theater ballistic missiles, Arrow-3 for medium-range ballistic missiles, and Rafael and Israel Aerospace Industries’ (IAI) Iron Dome for shorter range rockets and artillery shells. Boeing [BA] is co-developing and co-producing the Arrow interceptors.
DST-6 is the latest in a succession of early 2019 Israeli missile defense test operations. In January IMDO and MDA tested the Arrow-3 ballistic missile defense system (Defense Daily, Jan. 22).
Earlier this month U.S. European Command (EUCOM) deployed a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system to Israel to conduct exercises and help Israel practice operational procedures to augment its air and missile defense systems (Defense Daily, March 4).