Salon.com > Missile

Israel, U.S. successfully test anti-missile system

Mon, 25 Feb 2013 18:11:00 +0000

JERUSALEM (AP) — Israel and the U.S. on Monday carried out a successful test of the next-generation Arrow 3 missile defense system, for the first time sending an interceptor into outer space, where it could destroy missiles fired from Iran.

The Arrow 3 is part of a multilayered system that Israel is developing to protect against a range of missile threats, from short-range rockets in the Gaza Strip and Lebanon to medium and longer-range missiles in the hands of Syria and Iran. The Arrow system is being developed to protect against sophisticated Iranian-made Shahab ballistic missiles.

Israel's Defense Ministry said it was the first flight test of the Arrow 3 interceptor. It was conducted at an Israeli test range over the Mediterranean Sea. The system is about three years away from becoming operational.

"The Arrow 3 interceptor was successfully launched and flew an exo-atmospheric trajectory through space, in accordance with the test plan," it said in a statement. "The successful test is a major milestone in the development of the Arrow 3 weapon system and provides further confidence in future Israeli defense capabilities to defeat the developing ballistic missile threat."

Global condemnation falls on deaf ears in North Korea

Wed, 12 Dec 2012 16:40:00 +0000

As NPR's Louisa Lim put it Wednesday morning, North Korea's launch of a long-range missile has been met with a "global chorus of condemnation."

The U.S. condemned the "highly provocative act"; Japan called the launch "extremely regrettable"; South Korea said it was "a clear violation of the U.N. Security Council resolutions ... and a threat to peace to the Korean Peninsula and around the world." The U.N.'s Ban Ki Moon concurred. China, North Korea's closest ally in the region, even offered a tepid criticism: "We hope relevant parties stay calm in order to maintain peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula," said a spokesperson from the Chinese Foreign Ministry.

But, as commentators have noted, international censure falls on deaf ears in Pyongyang. As NPR's Lim said, "There's little left to sanction, and so far, international condemnation has done little to sway Pyongyang from its path." Sanctions on the poverty-stricken country will nonetheless be tightened unilaterally following the launch, according to reports.

North Korea says US within its missile range

Tue, 09 Oct 2012 12:12:00 +0000

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korea on Tuesday warned that the U.S. mainland is within range of its missiles, and said Washington's recent agreement to let Seoul possess missiles capable of hitting all of the North shows the allies are plotting to invade the country.

Seoul announced Sunday it reached a deal with Washington that would allow it to nearly triple the range of its missiles to better cope with North Korean missile and nuclear threats. On Tuesday, North Korea called the deal a "product of another conspiracy of the master and the stooge" to "ignite a war" against the North.

In a statement carried by the official Korean Central News Agency, an unidentified spokesman at the powerful National Defense Commission said the North will bolster its military preparedness.

"We do not hide ... the strategic rocket forces are keeping within the scope of strike not only the bases of the puppet forces and the U.S. imperialist aggression forces' bases in the inviolable land of Korea but also Japan, Guam and the U.S. mainland," the spokesman said.

South Korea's Defense Ministry said Tuesday it had no official comment on the North's statement, but Seoul and Washington have repeatedly said they have no intention of attacking North Korea.