"This is and will remain a U.S. radar system," Pentagon spokesman Geoff
Morrell said. "So this is not something we are giving or selling to the
Israelis and it is something that will likely require U.S. personnel on-site
to operate."
In a Sept. 30 briefing, Morrell confirmed reports that the X-band radar
had arrived in Israel in late September 2008. He said U.S. European Command
would require 120 soldiers to deploy and begin operations of the missile
defense radar.
"I don't think it will require them in the numbers it takes to get it up
and running, but I think that there will be U.S. personnel needed to run
this," Morrell said.
Morrell said the X-band radar, developed by Raytheon, would more than
double the range of Israel's detection capabilities of enemy missile
launches. The Pentagon spokesman did not cite a specific range, but other
officials said the U.S. radar would be able to provide detection at a
distance of more than 2,000 kilometers.
"This will enable the Israelis to track medium-and-long-range ballistic
missiles multiple times better than their current radar allows them to,"
Morrell said. "So it greatly enhances their self defense. And we are, if
nothing else, committed to the Israelis, Israel's defense."
