Israelis are used to missile attacks; they’ve spent tons of cash on missile defense systems. So why have their interceptors been silent, as a thousand Katyushas have slammed into their soil? Victoria Samson, the Center for Defense Information’s resident missile defense sage, has the answer: the Israeli systems are built to stop longer-range missiles — ones that fly for hundreds of miles, like those Iraqi Scuds that fell on Tel Aviv during the first Gulf War, or the missiles Iran might one day nuke-equip.) The shorter-range projectiles that Hezbollah is firing are are too quick, and too mobile, for these interceptors to catch.
Israel has a two-tiered missile defense system. The first, the Arrow Weapon System, is to intercept ballistic missiles in their final phase of flight. It would do so by shooting the U.S.-developed Arrow II interceptor at a threat. Once the Israel-developed Green Pine Fire Control Radar, Citron Tree Fire Control Center, and Hazel Nut Tree Launcher Center have sent the interceptor near the target, the Arrow II would blow up, with the hope that the fragments from the blast would either destroy the target or knock it sufficiently off course so that it would no longer remain a threat. There are two Arrow batteries deployed. One covers the center of Israel from its position in Palmahim, while the other in Ein Shemer is supposed to defend Israels northern territory…
Israel also has an early version of the U.S. Patriot missile defense system. The Patriot Advanced Capability (PAC)-2 is designed to defend against ballistic missile targets in their terminal phase as well; also, it would provide defense via a blast-fragmentation warhead… The Patriot differs from the Arrow in that it aims at targets which are at lower altitudes.
[But] neither missile defense system has been used is because they are not designed to intercept short-range rockets. It is estimated that of the 13,000 or so rockets and missiles in Hezbollahs arsenal, 11,000 of them are of the Katyusha type. These rockets have a short range maybe up to nine miles or so and a small warhead of roughly 40 pounds. Based on vintage Soviet technology, these rockets can be rolled out of a hiding place, shot, and rolled back in before any detection can be made. Their flight is over in seconds, making tracking difficult, much less shooting anything down. A system would have to be in exactly the right place to detect the missile once it is launched, then the defensive system would have to make a nearly instantaneous decision to respond, after which the interceptor would have to get to the target quickly enough to destroy it. It is an exceedingly difficult proposition when the flight times are as short as those launched by Hezbollah.
That’s one of the reasons why Israel spent year pursuing a speed-of-light rocket defense, the Tactical High Energy Laser — and why some folks are trying to re-introduce an updated version of the system to the Sabras.
But even an updated THEL will take years to get ready. In the short term, Israel’s plan seems to be to clear out as much of southern Lebanon as possible, the Times notes.
Homes in southern Lebanon received taped phone calls in Arabic warning that they needed to evacuate because strikes would hit house by house. The recording ended by saying it came from the Israeli Army. The Israelis also used a radio station near the border to broadcast warnings into southern Lebanon for residents to leave.
The radio warning also stressed that any truck, including pickups, traveling south of the Litani River would be suspected of transporting weapons or rockets, and could therefore be a target.
(Big ups: TP)
{ 12 comments… read them below or add one }
“The shorter-range projectiles that Hezbollah is firing are are too quick, and too mobile, for these interceptors to catch.”
NONSENSE. The reality is that a Katyusha is too small and cheap to be worth shooting at. Katyushas were built to be fired in massed barrages as a form of artillery.
But instead of the exceedingly obvious answer of “not worth it” to the question of why Israel isnt using Arrows on Katyushas, you try to make it seem as if Katyushas are outside of the Arrow’s and Patriot’s capabilities. This is ignorance, bias, or both.
I don’t understand why Israel isn’t rolling some of the trailer-mounted Phalanx systems in? The have met with some success, it seems in Iraq. From here, they look like just the thing, and they’re (relatively) quickly available, unlike HELs.
Actually the US is now putting guidance systems on mortar bombs, as a way of providing precision indirect fire at a small unit level.
It’s unlikely this sort of technology would be use by guerillas, just as they don’t use many guided missiles.
I have to admit I have never been very impressed by Metal Storm. I think the hype is unjustified and the concept, while interesting, is overrated.
Metal Storm would be inferior to conventional, proven systems like the phalanx because the metal storm system lacks endurance, and lacks the ability to correct its aim and fire subsequent shots if it attempts to expend its ammunition making a “cloud” of rounds.
As far as I know there is no high-caliber metal storm system. The phalanx uses more powerful rounds than would otherwise be necessary to disable a missile because range is very important for an anti-missile system. More range means more time to engage the missile and means more area protected by the system.
If a “cloud” was good at stopping missiles, it would be much more effective, and cheaper, to use large flechette/shotgun type rounds or air-bursting rounds instead of a metal storm system. The air-burst type systems are probably the future of missile defense and they are being worked on now. Such systems can operate at much longer ranges than something like a phalanx, and with new computers/software/sensors handling complex calculations to ensure the round explodes close to the high-speed missile, you don’t need to flood the sky with rounds to get a hit.
I do not think metal storm type weapons will replace conventional weapons because the systems get much heavier as you add more ammunition to them. More ammunition means more barrels. If you want 10 more rounds, you have to add another barrel. That is the whole point, the barrels are serving as magazines. This seems like it is really efficient until you have to reload, then you see how absurd it can be. Would you rather carry 10 more clips for your rifle, or 10 more much heavier barrels to get the same amount of ammunition?
This is not to say that the metal storm concept is entirely useless. I would love to be able to have aircraft paradrop robotic, remote controlled mortar systems that could support special forces in afghanistan, for example. With remote controlled systems, reloading isnt really an option anyway so the biggest disadvantage of metal storm disappears. If you can make the systems cheap enough, they can be considered used up and left behind after they fire their rounds. It would add a great capability to small light units operating in remote areas, who now have to rely solely on air support.
Israel; ABMs do not work! Please listen to me the only thing that will save you and your people from the missiles is “The Patriot Act” please try it and live, I beg you, please!
How a $1 to $3 million, patriot and similarily Arrow is ever supposed to be usefull against $1000 Katyushas?
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