Israel Upgrades Its Antimissile Plans

Arrow-2

The U.S. and Israel have started development of an upper-stage component to Israel’s Arrow-3 missile defense architecture. Arieh Herzog, director of Israel’s missile defense program, says the main element will be a highly maneuverable exoatmospheric interceptor that zeros in on an incoming missile.

The decision to add the component, which will be jointly developed by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) and Boeing, stems from a study conducted in 2006‑07 that identified a need for it in Israel’s ballistic missile defense system.

Meanwhile, given the urgent need to meet the growing ballistic missile threat from Iran, IAI is pressing ahead with the Arrow-3 antiballistic missile, the development of which is being funded partly by the U.S. IAI displayed a full-sized model of the two-stage Arrow-3 at the Paris air show last year. It is slightly smaller than the Arrow-2 missile in service, but is designed to engage and intercept clusters of hostile missiles at higher altitudes in the upper atmosphere. Uri Sinai, general manager of IAI’s missile division, says the Arrow-3 will be the world’s first multi­tiered, unified antimissile system, providing Israel’s Homa national missile-defense strategy with an effective exoatmospheric kill vehicle (KV).

NH Firm to Supply Patriot Missile Components

A southern New Hampshire company has been awarded a contract to provide components for Patriot Missile Fire Control Systems manufactured for the United Arab Emirates by Raytheon.

The New Hampshire Division of Economic Development announced Thursday the components and sub-assemblies would be supplied by Beckwood Services Inc., which is located in Plaistow.

According to a news release, Beckwood designs and manufactures electronic controls for electro-mechanical equipment used by defense industries and other companies. Beckwood expects to increase its employment in Plaistow by 15 percent over the next two years to meet the contract.

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