Special to WorldTribune.com

TEL AVIV — Israel is planning to counter an electro-magnetic pulse attack.

A leading industry group asserted that Israel’s government was directing a project to protect against an EMP attack.

The Israel Missile Defense Association said the government and military sought to use existing missile defense assets to stop a ballistic missile strike aimed at shutting down Israel’s electricity network.

“On top of all this, Israel is now taking steps toward highly leveraging passive missile defense measures, preparing to take yet another serious vulnerability off the table by protecting its national power grid from EMP,” the association said.

In a report on July 29, the association did not provide details. But the statement cited Israel’s development of such assets as Arrow-3, David’s Sling and Iron Dome, which range from exoatmosphere to tactical protection against missiles and rockets.

“And the investment — in active missile defense and passive EMP protection — is continuing,” association director Avi Schnurr said.

The report, titled “The Reslience Challenge,” cited a scenario in which an enemy of Israel would acquire weapons of mass destruction from Pakistan. Such a missile could be acquired before Israel develops EMP protection.

Israel’s missile defense architecture has been designed for a range of scenarios, the report said. The association said the Israel Air Force has deployed Iron Dome to cover every major city within Hamas’ missile range.

“And where geopolitical changes can happen quickly, the offense-defense gap can be particularly deadly,” the report said.

  Arrow-3, Avi Schnurr, David’s Sling, Iron Dome, Israel Missile Defense Association, Israel plans defense against EMP attack that would use anti-missile assets