| NEW YORK | PAKISTAN LEDGER | August 7th, 2008 | Moin Ansari | The Israeli Arrow has gone the way of the Israeli Lavi fighter–billions of Dollars spent without a product at the end of the trail. To clarify, that is billions of US tax Dollars wasted in aid to Tel Aviv which has been unable to come up with a anti-missile system that works.
Raytheon Co. is the Waltham, Mass.-based defense contractor and aerospace firm that is developing an anti-missile system for the US.
The program’s cost is estimated at some $700 million-$800 million over three years. The United States gives Israel some $140 million annually to help fund the Arrow, representing about 80 percent of the total cost,
The reasons for the repeated failure of products and services out of the Israeli defense establishment in general and Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) in particular can be analogized to the Soviet model. Because the Israeli industry is based on heavy subsidies from the USA there is little incentive for a results oriented programs. Failures are swept under the rug, and the bureaucratic machinery is always able to get more funding from papa-the US Congress.
The Story begins during the first Gulf war when the US shifted the Patriot missiles to Israel to ward off the scuds that Saddam Husein was launching at Israel. the patriots did not work. The fact is that the enhanced scuds were so bad that they self destructed on their way to Israel. The Patriot manufacturers were too happy to take credit for a fallen sub-standard scud.
Israel knew that the patriots did not work, so it came up with a plan to develop its own anti-missile system. After several failed attempts the weapon of choice was the Arrow. Billions were spent on its development touted as the world best anti-missile system. During the 2nd Guld war. Saddam Husein was able to launch a few missiles at Israel.
Fast forward to Israel’s invasion of Lebanon. Hizbullah was able to maintain a constant barrage of missiles at Israel for the 33 days and did launch a volley even one minute before the cease fire actually took place. Israeli Arrows did not work and were unable to stop the rocket barrage from across the Litani river.
The Gazans and Hamas have also been able to launch hundreds of rockets into Israel proper without any interference from the Arrow.
Lieutenant General Henry A. Obering III, the director of the Pentagon’s Missile Defense Agency, told Israeli officials at a meeting on Wednesday that Washington will support and finance a project to develop the new generation of the Arrow-3 anti-ballistic missile system, the Jerusalem Post reported on Wednesday. Obering also pledged that if the Arrow-3 project encounters difficulties or delays, the US will provide Israel with a land launched version of the US Navy’s SM-3 anti-ballistic missile system. Press reports and Jeruslem Post
Without much fanfare, Israel has now come full circle and has officially requested US help in development of the Arrow. News stories emanating from Tel Aviv and Washington seem to suggest that. The new request from Israel is disguised as “improvement” on the original product the Arrow. It is pedantic to note that the Arrow itself has been unable to stop the missiles from causing wanton destruction in Israel. The “Arrow-3 system, an advanced model of an Arrow interception missile, would help Israel intercept ballistic missiles in a much wider range than the current model.”
American company Raytheon suggested that instead of financing the Israeli development, the US Congress and government fund the development of its Standard Missile 3 (SM-3).
Like the Israeli missile, the American project is also slated to be based on an existing missile. But unlike the Arrow, which is placed on land and is only aimed at intercepting ballistic missiles, the SM-3 is used by the US Navy and is aimed at intercepting aircraft, ships and missiles threatening warships.
Raytheon claims that if the missile undergoes certain changes, it would be possible to place it on land and use it to successfully intercept ballistic missiles. Hanan Greenberg
Apparently the US government has overruled Israel’s objections to the cutoff of aid for the Arrow missile. “Israel objected to the development of the SM-3 at the expense of the US funding of the new Arrow program, as the Defense Ministry prefers to provide work to Israeli industries and because the cost of the new Standard is estimated at $10-12 million per missile, while the Arrow-3 will only cost 1.5-2 million per unit.”
The US couched the firing of *Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI)* in diplomatic language tried to ease the fears of the Israeli defense industry experts who were trying to keep their jobs. “The program will be under American supervision, and should it turn out that the development is being delayed or is failing to reach its objectives, the resources will be shifted to the development of the SM-3″
The SM-3 (Standard Missile 3) is an upper-tier ballistic missile defense weapon, originally planned to complement the lower-tier SM-2ER Block IV A. Israel has been the main recipient of direct economic and military assistance from the United States since 1976. The US has granted Israel an average of $1.8 billion in military aid each year, since 1987. Press TV
Israel seeking U.S. aid on missile update Published: Aug. 7, 2008 at 8:24 AM
Defense Minister Ehud Barak at the Mt. Herzl military cemetery in Jerusalem, July 2, 2007. (UPI Photo/ Debbie Hill)
JERUSALEM, Aug. 7 (UPI) — The head of the U.S. Missile Defense Agency is expected to urge aid for Israel in financing an update of the Arrow-3 anti-ballistic missile, officials say.
Endorsement by U.S. Air Force Lt. Gen. Henry Obering, the agency director, was considered necessary for U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates to get needed congressional funding, as promised to Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak last week, Ynetnews.com reported Thursday.
Officials say the Arrow-3 system, an advanced model of an Arrow interception missile, would help Israel intercept ballistic missiles in a much wider range than the current model. Israel considers the new model to be crucial in light of Iran’s nuclear development.
The program’s cost is estimated at some $700 million-$800 million over three years. The United States gives Israel some $140 million annually to help fund the Arrow, representing about 80 percent of the total cost, Ynetnews said.
US to help Israel develop Arrow-3
Head of US Missile Defense Agency to recommend to Congress that America finance development of modern version of anti-ballistic missile system
Ron Ben-Yishai Published: 08.07.08, 08:10 / Israel News
The head of the US Missile Defense Agency will recommend to the American government and Congress to help Israel by financing most of the development of a modern version of the Arrow-3 anti-ballistic missile system, following talks Lieutenant-General Henry Obering III held in Israel with heads of the defense establishment.
This professional recommendation will help US Defense Secretary Robert Gates receive the Congress’ approval to help develop Arrow-3. Gates made such a promise to Defense Minister Ehud Barak during the latter’s visit in Washington about a week ago.
Test Launch
Israel successfully test fires ballistic target / Hanan Greenberg
Blue Sparrow surrogate ballistic target successfully launched early Tuesday from IAF aircraft, meant to simulate Shahab-3 attack on Israel
The Arrow-3 system, an advanced model of an Arrow interception missile, is slated to help Israel intercept ballistic missiles in a much wider range than the range reached by Arrow-2 missiles, which are now being operationally used as part of the Israel Air Force’s antiaircraft lineup.
The new missile, which is in its initial development stages in an Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) factory, should also be able to intercept ballistic missiles in heights of more than 100 kilometers (i.e. outside the atmosphere).
These performances of the new missile, along with an improved radar system, are expected to provide the Israeli missile interception lineup with many more opportunities to hit a ballistic missile or its warhead during its flight using a number of interception missiles, and reducing the danger of having the warhead and remnants of the ballistic missile land on Israeli territory after being successfully intercepted.
The need for the Arrow-3 missile has become crucial in light of the progress made in the Iranian nuclear program. According to estimates, it would be possible to place first operational Arrow-3 batteries within three years, should the development carry on with no budgetary and technological delays.
The program’s cost is estimated at some $700-800 million over three years. Israel has asked the United States to include the Arrow-3 development in the annual funding granted by the US Congress and government to the Arrow program.
Every year, the US gives Israel some $140 million to help fund the Arrow program. The US finances 80% of the anti-ballistic missile system’s production and development, and Israel pays the rest of the sum.
The missiles are manufactured in cooperation between the Boeing company factories (sub-contractor) and an IAI factory.
New player threatens to thwart funding
There seemingly was no reason for the US not to continue providing financial aid for the development and manufacturing of the Arrow-3, as it helped finance previous plans. However, when Israel announced it plans to develop a long-range missile interception system, a new player entered the scene.
American company Raytheon suggested that instead of financing the Israeli development, the US Congress and government fund the development of its Standard Missile 3 (SM-3).
Like the Israeli missile, the American project is also slated to be based on an existing missile. But unlike the Arrow, which is placed on land and is only aimed at intercepting ballistic missiles, the SM-3 is used by the US Navy and is aimed at intercepting aircraft, ships and missiles threatening warships.
Raytheon claims that if the missile undergoes certain changes, it would be possible to place it on land and use it to successfully intercept ballistic missiles.
Israel objected to the development of the SM-3 at the expense of the US funding of the new Arrow program, as the Defense Ministry prefers to provide work to Israeli industries and because the cost of the new Standard is estimated at $10-12 million per missile, while the Arrow-3 will only cost 1.5-2 million per unit. Another reason is that the Arrow missiles have already been successfully tested as an anti-ballistic missile system.
The Arrow-3 technology is only an improvement of an existing and proven ability, while the SM-3 still requires technological changes and improvements which will adjust it to the interception of ballistic missiles from the land.
Defense establishment officials were worried that the Americans might prefer to finance a missile produced by their own military industries rather than develop an Israeli interception missile.
The Israeli fears were slightly eased this week. An American technical team which recently examined the Arrow-3 plans and the head of the US Missile Defense Agency were convinced that the development of the Arrow-3 should be favored and that Israel should receive the required funding as part of the aid plan.
The program will be under American supervision, and should it turn out that the development is being delayed or is failing to reach its objectives, the resources will be shifted to the development of the SM-3.
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