Israel and the United States successfully completed tests of an advanced Arrow 3 missile defense system in Alaska, the Israeli Defense Ministry told the Times of Israel.
The tests were performed at the Alaska Aerospace Pacific Spaceport Complex on Kodiak, operated by the Alaska Aerospace Corporation, which is owned by the State of Alaska.
“The weapon system successfully demonstrated hit-to-kill interceptions of ballistic targets in space, according to the ministry, which added that the operation was conducted in Alaska in order to test capabilities that cannot be tested in Israel. The rocket system succeeded in simultaneously intercepting multiple targets,” the Times of Israel reported.
The Arrow 3 will allow Israel to intercept long-range ballistic missile targets outside the atmosphere, and provides more capability in shooting down Iranian nuclear missiles
Temporary flight restrictions had been established for the Kodiak launch facility in recent days in anticipation of the tests. The most recent launch took place early on July 28.
Israel’s Ambassador to the US Ron Dermer was in Kodiak for the launch, according to the newspaper. Watch the video from the Israeli government was posted at the Times of Israel:
[Read: Israel to test rocket launch in Kodiak]
The Pacific Spaceport Complex is located at Narrow Cape on Kodiak Island, surrounded by 3,700 acres. The complex provides a suite of services to government and commercial customers.
Sen. Dan Sullivan offered this comment today: “Alaska’s critical role in our nation’s missile defense and that of our allies was demonstrated again this month with the successful joint U.S.-Israeli test of the Arrow-3 Interceptor at the Kodiak Launch Complex. I’ve worked to successfully advance legislation these past three years that has bolstered our missile defense and the testing of these systems in Alaska. This test should send a strong message to our common adversary, Iran, about our ability to deter any aggressive act against our allies in the region. Lastly, I want to thank the great people of Kodiak who have been host to American and Israeli officials working to achieve this milestone.”
Wonder if the tech. from this system will wind up being sold to China, as the AWACS system was?
No kidding. Exasperating.
Be aware that we, the US taxpayers, paid for the entire cost of this testing to the tune of several million dollars.
Hallelujah-so thrilled that we get to partner with Israel and thereby with God…
How does a STATE come to own an aerospace company? Is that a function of a state? I thought we paid for a US Defense Department.
Speaking as a resident of Kodiak, the most galling aspect of this story is Sullivan’s comment at the end: “I want to thank the great people of Kodiak who have been host to American and Israeli officials working to achieve this milestone.”
The great people of Kodiak could not have “hosted” the Israeli officials even if they wanted to, because information on the presence of those Israeli officials and their mission in Kodiak was withheld from the people of Kodiak by the US Missile Defense Agency (MDA) and the Alaska Aerospace Corporation (AAC). When directly asked by community members to address the rumors of an Israeli military presence in Kodiak this summer, officials from the MDA and AAC refused to answer.
In fact, opinions were expressed during an AAC meeting with the Kodiak community in June and during a Kodiak Island Borough meeting in July that the presence at the Kodiak launch site of any representatives of military organizations that are committing war crimes and crimes against humanity (specifically including Israel’s) would not be welcomed in Kodiak.
Doug, your post was salient up until that last paragraph, then credibility just slipped through your fingers.
Hi, Jim. Maybe you’ll grant some credibility on the subject of war crimes and crimes against humanity to Amnesty International ( e.g., https://www.amnesty.org/en/countries/middle-east-and-north-africa/israel-and-occupied-palestinian-territories/report-israel-and-occupied-palestinian-territories/ ; https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2018/04/israel-arms-embargo-needed-as-military-unlawfully-kills-and-maims-gaza-protesters/ ), or Human Rights Watch (e.g., https://www.hrw.org/news/2018/06/13/israel-apparent-war-crimes-gaza ), or the UN Independent Commission of Inquiry on the Protests in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (https://www.ohchr.org/EN/HRBodies/HRC/CoIOPT/Pages/Report2018OPT.aspx)?
I have said it before, (including to legislative staffers these last few months – though not my own who never respond to anything), and I’ll say it again: Why is Alaska in this business? In the past I have seen the *astronomical* salaries of the big-wigs running this show, and they were among the highest in the state, if not the highest.
Does this pay for itself? I’m pretty sure not, IIRC.
Seems like yet another good Alaskan Corporation/program to end or totally privatize to save money.
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