Ben-Baruch said the unidentified radar, developed by
IAI subsidiary
Elta Systems, would provide 360-degree surveillance. Baruch said this would
enable the radar to detect Hamas or Hizbullah short-range missile and rocket
fire and relay the information to a military command and control center.
The radar was disclosed by the military days before the formal ceasefire
agreement between Israel and Hamas was scheduled to expire on Dec. 19. On
Dec. 10, the military relayed options to the government of Prime Minister
Ehud Olmert for an Israeli response to the escalation in Hamas missile and
rocket fire from the Gaza Strip. At the same time, the government approved
the transfer of $25 million to the Hamas regime.
"The Israel Defense Forces has to act." Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi
Livni said. "As for the extent of the operation, we have to choose from the
options presented to us."
For his part, Ben-Baruch said the new radar, expected to replace the
U.S.-origin TPQ-37, was ordered in wake of the Israeli war
with Hizbullah in 2006. The Iranian-sponsored Hizbullah fired 4,500 rockets
into Israel during the 34-day war.
Officials said the radar would enable the Artillery Corps to participate
in the war against the Hamas
regime in the Gaza Strip. Artillery units have been prevented from firing
into the Gaza Strip out of concern that they would accidentally strike
civilian targets.
Under the army plan, artillery units would be part of a command and
control system that could be called upon to respond to Hamas or Hizbullah
fire. Officials said the units would be linked to a network designed to
rapidly detect and locate missile and rocket fire.
"The C2 network would allow commanders to make decisions on whether a
counter-strike should come from the air, ground or artillery," the military
source said.
