Israel's top air defense is getting a more intense workout than its missile chief ever imagined
Israel's top air defense system, Arrow, has engaged hundreds of Iranian ballistic missiles.A senior Israeli official said he never expected Arrow to be used as much as it has been.The system has been credited with an interception rate of over 90% in recent clashes with Iran.When Israel's top air defense system first came online more than two decades ago, the idea that it might one day be used to battle hundreds of Iranian ballistic missiles seemed far-fetched to some."I can tell you that I didn't imagine that we would use Arrow as much as we [did] during the last three years, but this is our life," said Moshe Patel, the director and general manager of the Israeli Missile Defense Organization.Arrow is a surface-to-air ballistic missile defense system that makes up the top layer of Israel's air defense network.The country has two interceptors in service. Arrow 2, deployed in 2000, can eliminate missiles in the upper atmosphere, while Arrow 3, deployed in 2017, can eliminate them in space.
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Israel's top air defense system, Arrow, has engaged hundreds of Iranian ballistic missiles.A senior Israeli official said he never expected Arrow to be used as much as it has been.The system has been credited with an interception rate of over 90% in recent clashes with Iran.When Israel's top air defense system first came online more than two decades ago, the idea that it might one day be used to battle hundreds of Iranian ballistic missiles seemed far-fetched to some."I can tell you that I didn't imagine that we would use Arrow as much as we [did] during the last three years, but this is our life," said Moshe Patel, the director and general manager of the Israeli Missile Defense Organization.Arrow is a surface-to-air ballistic missile defense system that makes up the top layer of Israel's air defense network.The country has two interceptors in service. Arrow 2, deployed in 2000, can eliminate missiles in the upper atmosphere, while Arrow 3, deployed in 2017, can eliminate them in space. It is one of the few air defenses in the world capable of doing so.Israel is also developing next-generation Arrow 4 and 5 interceptors.The system, a joint development from the state-run Israel Aerospace Industries and American defense contractor Boeing, has been used extensively over the past three years, mainly in four major rounds of fighting with Iran.Arrow has battled hundreds of Iranian ballistic missiles, and the defensive system has been credited with an interception rate of over 90% during the two most recent clashes in June 2025 and this spring.Israel is "very satisfied with the performance of the Arrow 3," Patel said in a recent interview. He called it the "most advanced and capable system" globally, particularly in interceptions in outer space.While Israel has faced a heavy Iranian missile fire, officials have denied reports that the country is low on interceptors.The Israeli Defense Ministry has, however, announced plans to accelerate production of Arrow interceptors.
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- What's the story?
- Israel's top air defense system, Arrow, has engaged hundreds of Iranian ballistic missiles.A senior Israeli official said he never expected Arrow to be used as much as it has been.The system has been credited with an interception rate of over 90% in recent clashes with Iran.When Israel's top air defense system first came online more than two decades ago, the idea that it might one day be used to battle hundreds of Iranian ballistic missiles seemed far-fetched to some."I can tell you that I didn't imagine that we would use Arrow as much as we [did] during the last three years, but this is our life," said Moshe Patel, the director and general manager of the Israeli Missile Defense Organization.Arrow is a surface-to-air ballistic missile defense system that makes up the top layer of Israel's air defense network.The country has two interceptors in service. Arrow 2, deployed in 2000, can eliminate missiles in the upper atmosphere, while Arrow 3, deployed in 2017, can eliminate them in space.
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Israel's top air defense is getting a more intense workout than its missile chief ever imagined
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