The Israel Missile Defense Organization (IMDO) and the U.S. Missile Defense Agency (MDA) completed a successful intercept test of the David’s Sling Weapon System (DSWS) against a short-range ballistic missile today, Wednesday, November 20, 2013.
This is the second intercept test of the Stunner interceptor for the DSWS, The intercept test was conducted at a test range in southern Israel.
The first intercept test this year was performed in February, when RAFAEL validated the maturity of the David’s Sling system, scoring a direct hit on a rocket simulating a live medium range rocket.
Today, at 7:30, the target missile was launched, IAI-Elta’s Multi Mission Radar (MMR) successfully detected and tracked the target and transferred target flight information to the ‘Golden Almond’ BMC (battle management control system), developed by Elisra-Elbit Systems. The Stunner interceptor successfully performed its planned trajectory and destroyed the target missile.
David’s Sling is designed as an additional layer of defense against ballistic missiles, to add interception opportunities to the joint U.S.-Israel Arrow Weapon System and to improve the active defense architecture of the State of Israel against missile threats.
The successful test is a major milestone in the development of the David’s Sling Weapon System and provides confidence in future Israeli capabilities to defeat the developing ballistic missile threat.
RAFAEL is the prime contractor and development authority with Raytheon the leading subcontractor and US program lead.
More testing, leading toward operational fielding by the year 2015 will follow today’s intercept.
