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The The Associated Press reports that Israel wants to buy a missile defense system from the U.S. for protection against short-range rockets and mortar fire. Israel has its eyes on the Vulcan-Phalanx cannon and radar system, and Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak will ask Defense Secretary Robert Gates to sell the system to his country.

Made by defense contractor Raytheon, the Vulcan-Phalanx will house the Iron Dome, an anti-rocket shield Israel successfully tested earlier this month, and two additional missile systems. (The Iron Dome is designed to defend Israel from Hamas and Hizbullah rockets and also serves as a major component in a multi-layered missile defense system that includes the Arrow anti-ballistic missile shield.)

Faced with short-range weapon and mortar shell attacks, Israel needs an anti-rocket system to neutralize these threats. Protection against long-range weapons includes systems like the Arrow II, which would counter Iran’s Shahab-3 missile.

In related news, Iran has warned Israel not to attack its nuclear sites. President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad recently called Israel a “most cruel and repressive racist regime” during a United Nations conference in Geneva. Iran is developing long-range missiles and a nuclear program, and countries like Iran and Syria have Israel in their sights.

Last year it was reported that Israel may preemptively strike Iran’s nuclear facilities, and Iran said it would retaliate by deploying the Shahab-3. Syria’s president said that if Israel attacks Iran, there would be “catastrophic consequences for the entire world.” Despite the tension, Israel is still interested in peace talks with these rogue nations.

 
Israel and the U.S. will hold three drills to test missile interceptor systems sometime this year, reportedly the largest and most complex military drills to date. (Source)

The Juniper Cobra exercise will include the Arrow II missile interceptor system, which Israel successfully test-fired last week. The system is designed to help the country defend against attacks from rogue states like Iran and Syria. Additionally, drills would test and improve the capacity of the U.S. to protect Israel if attacked.

Are these drills prompted by North Korea’s rocket launch?

>> National Review’s Kathryn Lopez posts on The Corner blog a letter from a group of bipartisan U.S. senators who oppose missile defense cuts. Senators Joe Lieberman, Jon Kyl, Mark Begich, Lisa Murkowski, Jeff Sessions, and Jim Inhofe sent the letter to President Barack Obama. An excerpt:

“We write to urge you not to allow deep cuts in U.S. missile defense programs that are critically important to protecting our homeland and our allies against the growing threat of ballistic missiles.

“Secretary of Defense Robert Gates today announced plans to cancel or reduce such major programs as the Airborne Laser, Multiple Kill Vehicle, and the installation of additional Ground-Based Interceptor missiles in Alaska, and cut the MDA’s budget for Fiscal Year 2010 by $1.4 billion. Although we applaud Secretary Gates’ commitment to such capabilities THAAD and SM-3, these proposals would amount to almost a fifteen percent cut in the MDA budget and a major reduction in our missile defense portfolio—actions that we fear could undermine our emerging missile defense capabilities to protect the United States against a growing threat.

“As you know, the threat from ballistic missiles is significant and on the rise.”

Read the rest at NRO.

>> Today Israel successfully test-fired its Arrow II interceptor missile, a system that will help the country defend against attacks from rogue states like Iran and Syria.

An unnamed source said, “The arrow’s interception altitude has been enhanced. Of course, the higher you go, the further out you can reach as well. Our doctrine is to intercept enemy missiles as far away from Israeli skies as possible. That gives you time for another try if you miss.” (Reuters)

>> According to a Rasmussen Reports poll conducted before North Korea’s rocket launch, 57 percent of Americans said they support using military force to neutralize North Korea’s capability to launch missiles. Sixty-six percent of Republicans and 52 percent of Democrats said they support military involvement if North Korea moved forward with its military test. (FOXNews.com)

>> Today the U.S. issued sanctions against six Iranian companies and a Chinese man named Li Fangwei, also known as Karl Lee, for allegedly supporting Iran’s rogue ballistic missile and nuclear programs. U.S. Treasury Undersecretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Stuart Levey said, “Today we are acting under our Security Council and other international obligations to prevent these entities from abusing the financial system to pursue centrifuge and missile technology for Iran.” (AFP)

(Photo credit: Boeing)

 
**Good news for U.S. defense contractor Lockheed Martin. The company likely will post higher 4th quarter earnings, a trend that began under President George Bush. In fact, its earnings more than doubled under Bush. The higher profits may continue under Barack Obama. Bloomberg reports that Lockheed’s earnings rose one percent to $1.91.

Boston-based analyst Cai Von Rumohr said, “Defense stocks were pretty awful in the fourth quarter on a growing recognition of pension issues and concern Obama would be worse for the industry…With Obama wanting to create jobs it’s much less likely he’ll be looking at the defense budget as a way to save money. That would be counterproductive.” (Bloomberg)

**In other Lockheed news, UPI reports that the company’s F-35 stealth Lightning Joint Strike Fighter is designed to destroy Russia’s S-300, some of which Russia may have sold to rogue state Iran. With Israel in Syria’s and Iran’s sights, the U.S. is ready, willing, and able to supply our ally with missile defense technology like the F-35. (UPI)

**According to the AFP, India’s latest missile defense test was a failure. Indian scientists said the Russia/India-developed BrahMos missile “had flown only in the general direction of its target.” The missile was fired from the Pokhran range near the Pakistan border. (AFP)

Incidentally, India has been in talks with the U.S. to buy a missile defense system. An American embassy official reportedly said, “India is a partner of ours, and we want to provide it with whatever it needs to protect itself…This fits into the overall strategic partnership we are building.”

 
**U.S. defense contractor Raytheon scored a $3.3 billion contract to produce Patriot missiles and other equipment for the United Arab Emirates. Raytheon’s total sales for last year were $21.3 billion. (Boston Globe)

**Before the U.S. starts deploying missile interceptors to Poland, we’ll have to test and certify them, Representative Ellen Tauscher, chair of a House Armed Services subcommittee, told European officials earlier this month. Testing and certification may last several years.

In the meantime, Iran may or may not have missiles capable of reaching Europe or the U.S. by 2015. Will Poland and the Czech Republic have their interceptor and radar bases by then? We’d like to say yes, the bases will be built within six years. But since neither country’s parliament has approved the agreements, no one can say for certain.

Exactly how will Russia “test the mettle of the new administration and the new president”? Last week’s talks between the U.S. and Russia over missile defense bases in Central Europe can’t be described as successful, but it seems clear that the only concession Russia will accept is a complete concession: no bases in Poland and the Czech Republic. (Air Force Times and Press TV)

**Russia is set to sell missile defense systems to rogue state Iran, and Amos Gilad, an official in Israel’s defense ministry, tried to talk Russia out of the deal last week. Additionally, Israel is ambivalent about selling a batch of unmanned drones to Russia. Israel’s hesitance to sell drones to Russia might be leverage to keep the country from supplying Iran and Syria with the S-300 missile systems. (JTA)

 
On a visit to Moscow earlier this month, Israel’s Prime Minister Ehud Olmert asked Russia not to sell weapons to his country’s enemies. Although Syria denied reports that it was in missile defense talks with Russia, it appears to be the case. Russia plans to station S-300 anti-aircraft missiles in Syria. (Source)

As Russia tries to shore up its missile defense system, the country is aligning itself with countries like Syria, whose two naval bases are of great interest to Russia. In addition to building floating piers at one of the bases, Russia is expanding the other. Both will host Russia’s Black Sea Fleet in the Mediterranean Sea. As expected, this will impede Israel’s ability to work near Syria.

Additionally, Russia has entered into a treaty with Belarus to expand and integrate missile defense systems. As UPI reports, Russia’s plans with Belarus are part of a larger program to fortify Russia’s stand against NATO in the event of war.

Pavel Borodin, state secretary of the Supreme State Council of the Russia-Belarus Union State, made Russia’s intentions very plain: “Militarily speaking, it is virtually a shield against NATO.”

(Photo source: RIA Novosti)

 
Don’t sell weapons to Israel’s enemies, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert told Russia on a diplomatic visit earlier this week. We’ve blogged about Russia possibly selling weapons to Iran and Syria, enemies of Israel. Iran, which has been sanctioned by the United Nations, says it will buy S-300 anti-aircraft missiles from Russia. Syria currently is negotiating peace with Israel. Will Iran follow suit? (Associated Press)

American allies Kuwait, South Korea, and the United Arab Emirates reportedly are interested in buying the Iskander-E ballistic missile from Russia. The missile is a short-range, surface-to-air weapon system. From the article: “Because the missiles are solid-fueled, they can be launched extremely quickly, again reducing to virtually zero the chances of knocking them out before launch with a pre-emptive airstrike. RIA Novosti said the second missile on a TEL could be fired within a minute of the first one being launched.” (UPI)
 
Richard Danzig, Barack Obama’s senior foreign policy adviser, said our country’s planned missile defense bases in Eastern Europe are not offensive moves against Russia. The U.S. will deploy a radar system to the Czech Republic and 10 missile interceptors to Poland. Russia opposes the bases, and Danzig said the country’s retaliatory actions would have consequences. (AFP)
 
According to the Telegraph, Russia is set to launch its biggest missile test in 24 years. Part of the Stability-2008 strategic maneuvers in Russia and Belarus, the test will last until October 12. East and West are at loggerheads over missile defense, and Russia’s invasion of Georgia and our country’s missile defense plans in Eastern Europe have added to the tension. (Telegraph)

 
Israel is set to receive much-needed help from the U.S. to develop its missile defense system so that country can protect itself against possible threats in the region.
 
We’ve blogged about the U.S. and Israel working together to develop Arrow-3, an advanced ballistic missile defense system. The new generation system will be designed to destroy multiple-warhead missiles and decoys. Israel wants to prepare to defend itself in case of attacks from countries like North Korea , Iran, and Syria. According to Jane’s Information Group, U.S. aid will include $750 million until the ballistic missile defense system is operational.
 
Syria and Iran
 
We noted that despite rumors Syria may acquire a missile defense system from Russia, Israel is still interested in negotiating peace with the Muslim country. Yesterday, however, Syria’s president said that if Israel attacks Iran , it “would have catastrophic consequences for the entire world.”
 
Israel may preemptively strike Iran’s nuclear facilities for fear the country will obtain an atomic weapon. (The U.S. and Israel believe Iran wants to build atomic bombs.) According to the AFP, Iran would retaliate by deploying Shahab-3 missiles, long-range weapons capable of reaching Israel. Meanwhile, Iran is denying that it bought missiles from Russia. Israel reported that Iran could have these advanced weapons by the end of the year. 

Unfortunately, “peace in the Middle East ” is a far-off dream.

(Sources: Jane’s Information Group, AFP, and Reuters)

 
According to Syria’s state news agency, the answer is no. Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is denying that he discussed acquiring a missile defense system with Russian President Dmitri A. Medvedev.

But Reuters reports that Bashar al-Assad said his country “was ready to negotiate deployment of the surface-to-surface mid range missiles.” Although Russia has supplied Syria with weapons in the past, surface-to-surface missiles weren’t part of the exchanges (as far as we know). The U.S. definitely isn’t on Syria’s “friends” list, so it’s not a stretch to believe Syria and Russia are cooperating to arm themselves for a potential conflict with the U.S. and its allies, namely, Israel.

Despite possible negotiations between Syria and Russia, Israel wants to continue peace talks with the Muslim country. (Source)