JERUSALEM (JTA) — A missile from the Israeli David’s Sling air-defense system that was fired at rockets launched from Syria failed to detonate and has been turned over to Russia, according to a Chinese media report.
The missile missed its mark in the June 2018 incident and was turned over by the Assad regime, the Sina news website reported. Israel and the United States have asked Russia to return the missile, according to Sina.
Russian defense scientists could attempt to reverse-engineer the interceptor’s capabilities to develop ways to bypass Israeli defense systems, Haaretz reported. Russia is fighting for the Assad regime in Syria’s long-running civil war.
Neither the Israel Defense Forces nor Russia have commented on the report.
David’s Sling, which entered service in Israel in April 2017, is designed to stop medium-range rockets, drones and cruise missiles. It is intended to supplement the Iron Dome system, which targets short-range rockets, and the Arrow for long-range ballistic missiles.
The U.S. defense contractor Raytheon collaborated on David’s Sling with Israel’s state-owned Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Ltd.
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