US and Israel on the verge of producing missile shield

Director of the Missile Defence Agency (MDA) said that the US and Israel are weeks away from reaching a draft agreement regarding the co-production of Israel’s air defence system known as “David’s Sling” that the two countries developed together.

MDS Director US Navy Vice Admiral James Syring also added that negotiations and discussions are ongoing in Tel Aviv about the defence system that passed a series of tests last April. It is expected to be operational next year.

David’s Sling is being developed and produced by a partnership between Israel’s Rafael Advanced Defence Systems Ltd and Raytheon Co, one of America’s biggest arms companies.

For his part, Robert Scher, assistant defence secretary for strategy, plans and capabilities, said that the US government has given over $3 billion to Tel Aviv for David’s Sling and other missile defence programmes since 2001.

Syring reported that reaching a draft agreement on the co-production of David’s Sling is expected in the next few weeks and that the final agreement will most likely be reached in the next few months. He did not add any more details.

Syring told the strategic forces subcommittee of the House Armed Services Committee that, after putting the final touches on the agreement, officials in Washington and Tel Aviv will discuss the co-production of Israel’s Arrow ballistic missile defence system.

David’s Sling was designed to shoot down rockets with ranges between 100 and 200 kilometres, planes, or cruise missiles that are low-flying. By doing so, the new system will fill the operational gap between Israel’s Iron Dome, which intercepts short-range rockets and the Arrow ballistic missile interceptor, both of which are already operational.