Jerusalem – U.S. Deploys Radar System to Detect Iranian Missiles at Negev Base

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    Jerusalem – The U.S. Army’s European Command deployed an early-warning radar system in Israel last week along with a 120-member support team, the weekly Defense News reported.

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    The move marks the first permanent presence in Israel of American military personnel. The high-powered radar system is meant to augment Israel’s defenses against Iranian ground-to-ground missiles.

    According to Defense News, more than a dozen transport aircraft delivered the radar, its ancillary systems, equipment and technicians, as well as maintenance and security specialists to the Nevatim Air Force Base in the Negev. It has not yet been made operational.

    The same system has been deployed for the past two years in Japan against possible missile launches from North Korea. The agreement to provide Israel with the system a few months ago was finalized during the visit by Defense Minister Ehud Barak and Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Gabi Ashkenazi in Washington in July.

    The new radar will give Israel added minutes to respond to a missile launch, compared with the systems it currently uses. Assisted by data sent from American satellites, the system can detect Iranian missiles shortly after they are launched.

    A link with the Arrow missile system makes it possible to launch a defensive missile, and increases the chance of intercepting the incoming missile while giving the home front more time to respond.

    The deployment of the radar system may be understood in two contradictory ways. One is that it prevents Israel from taking independent action against Iran, which the United States has made clear in recent months it opposes. The radar system, and Americans stationed here, will restrain Israel, which would be wary about launching an attack that would endanger U.S. personnel.

    On the other hand, the deployment of the radar system strengthens Israel’s defense against missiles if Israel and/or the United States attacks Iran’s nuclear facilities. The defense system could reduce casualties and damage to the home front from a response by Iran and its allies.

    This would give decision-makers more freedom to attack Iran’s nuclear facilities. Defense officials said they had made arrangements to receive the equipment and personnel in “record time” – two months from the July talks.


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    3 Comments
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    End of Days
    End of Days
    15 years ago

    The first American base in Eretz Yisrael – HaShem should have mercy!

    I Don't Think So
    I Don't Think So
    15 years ago

    I find almost every “fact” in the article to be hard to believe.

    1. Israel’s Green Pine radar is adequate.
    2. The US wouldn’t put a radar as powerful, expensive, and advanced as necessary to detect IRBMs in a foreign country.
    3. The US would never put a formal base, certainly not a “permanent” one, in Israel.

    murray
    murray
    15 years ago

    Countries act in their own self-interest. This is a major benefit to the USA, not Israel.
    The US is in effect saying to Israel that they have no need to destroy iranian nuclear sites ahead of time. What good will it do for Israel to be able to detect a nuclear missile coming at them, other than to launch their own, as a counter nuclear strike. Better than detecting nuclear missiles AFTER launch would be to destroy them PRE launch.