(JTA) — The joint U.S.-Israel air defense system known as David’s Sling has passed a set of tests that potentially clears the way for full-scale deployment.
The Israeli Defense Ministry announced on Wednesday the successful tests of the midrange missile and rocket defense system, Reuters reported.
David’s Sling detected a target missile launching and destroyed it, the Israeli financial newspaper Globes reported Wednesday.
The Defense Ministry plans a definitive trial in the near future that would set the system on a path to being deployed and operational in the near future, Globes reported, potentially this year. Reuters reported it could be next year.
Designed to stop long-range rockets, drones and cruise missiles, David’s Sling is intended to supplement the Iron Dome system, which targets short-range rockets, and the Arrow system targeting ballistic missiles, both of which are already in operation.
The U.S. defense contractor Raytheon is collaborating on the system with Israel’s state-owned Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Ltd.
Last month, Israeli officials requested that the U.S. provide an additional $317 million in funding for Israel’s missile defense programs beyond the $158 million requested in the 2016 budget by the Obama administration. According to Globes, David’s Sling costs $1 million per interception.
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