TEL AVIV — The Defense Ministry has determined a requirement for the
development and procurement of a rocket defense system by mid-2008.
Officials said a ministry panel led by director-general Gabi Ashkenazi
required that any defense system against short- and
medium-range rockets and missiles must be available within two years and cost no more than $300 million for initial
deployment.
[On Tuesday, Palestinian gunners fired at least five Kassam missiles
into Israel, Middle East Newsline reported. Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said Israel would not respond.]
"We will have a defense system against the Kassams within 18 months,
maximum two years," Defense Minister Amir Peretz said.
Officials said the requirements would rule out a U.S.-origin laser
weapon designed to destroy incoming missiles and rockets, such as the
Palestinian Kassam and the Hizbullah-acquired Katyusha. They said the
Skyguard laser system developed by Northrop Grumman required at least $150
million in development costs.
"Currently, Skyguard could not protect any civilian community," an
official said. "It remains a point-based defense system."
The official said the ministry has concluded that the U.S.
chemical-laser system was capable of defending an area of no more than three
square kilometers. He said Northrop Grumman said the protection zone could
be enlarged to eight kilometers. The ministry has sought a system that could
protect an area of 10 kilometers.
At this point, officials said, the most attractive option presented to
the Defense Ministry was by Rafael, Israel Armament Development
Authority. Rafael has offered to develop a kinetic interceptor based on the
Python-5 air-to-air missile.
Under the proposal, Rafael would also develop a solid-state laser weapon
based on the Tactical High-Energy Laser, a joint Israel-U.S. program
canceled in 2005. Rafael was a major contractor in THEL and the subsequent
M-THEL.
In mid-November the ministry and military decided that the Israel Air
Force would procure and operate any rocket defense system. The decision was
opposed by the Ground Forces Command.