Israel on Wednesday began deploying a new surveillance system in the country's north to detect incoming aerial threats, including from drones.
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The move came against the backdrop of a nationwide emergency drill simulating, among other scenarios, a host or airborne threats to Israeli communities in the country's north.
Following years of development and manufacturing, the Israel Missile Defense Organization (IMDO) in the Defense Ministry's Directorate of Defense R&D, the Israeli Air Force, and ELTA, an Israel Aerospace Industries subsidiary and a prime contractor for the "Elevated Sensor" (ES) program, "began initial inflation operations" of the balloon on Wednesday, the Defense Ministry said in a statement.
The Defense Ministry said that "Tel Shamayam" (Hebrew for "Sky Dew") will assist security forces with the detection and tracking of both aerial and ground threats in the region.
The High Availability Aerostat System is one of the world's largest aerostats, and was developed under a cooperative program between the IMDO and the US Missile Defense Agency.
The ES system is comprised of the High Availability Aerostat System (HAAS) and advanced radar designed to detect incoming threats at long ranges when operating at high altitudes.
"It will provide additional detection and early warning capabilities to the existing operational air defense detection array deployed around Israel," the statement read.
"In several flight test campaigns conducted in recent months, we have demonstrated the outstanding capabilities of Israel's multi-tier missile defense – including against cruise missiles," said IMDO Director Moshe Patel.
"The IMDO and MDA, together with the IAF and defense industries are constantly improving Israel's threat detection capabilities. This aerostat system will cruise at high altitudes and provide an exceptional, multi-directional detection capability against advanced threats."
US Missile Defense Agency Director Vice Admiral Jon Hill said, "The Elevated Sensor is another great example of cooperation between the Missile Defense Agency, IMDO and industry partners. The co-developed technology and research is a benefit to both nations. Additionally, this system will further enhance Israel's advanced threat detection capabilities to maintain Israel's qualitative military edge."
IAF Commander Maj. Gen. Amikam Norkin said that "the IAF has both the defensive and offensive systems to defend the State of Israel and its sovereignty."
"The ES system will be a significant component in strengthening our capabilities to defend the country's borders against a variety of threats and will enable us to build a more accurate and broader air surveillance picture," he said.
IAI President and CEO, Boaz Levy said, "The ES system provides a significant technological and operational advantage for early and precise threat detection. This unique development is thanks to Israel Aerospace Industries' talented engineers, who worked night and day to develop this advanced technology. This technology increases the reliability of the aerial surveillance picture, and increases efficiency against a range of targets."
Last week, IAF officials noted the increased threat of drones, particularly Iranian drones located in several countries in the region, including Iraq and Yemen. Most of the details are classified, but it is known that these drones are capable of reaching Israel from thousands of kilometers away.
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Israel's current air defenses include the Iron Dome, designed to shoot down short-range rockets and drones, the Arrow system which intercepts ballistic missiles outside of the Earth's atmosphere, and the David's Sling missile defense system, which is designed to intercept tactical ballistic missiles, medium- to long-range rockets, as well as cruise missiles fired at ranges between 40-300 kilometers (25-186 miles).
Israel also has Patriot missile batteries stationed in the north of the country and has used them to intercept drones infiltrating Israeli airspace from Syria.
