Arrow, like U.S. Patriot batteries, has been used in the war against Iraq, Kadish notes.

Arrow Upgrades. The U.S. and Israel are working to improve and augment the capability of the Arrow missile defense system, DoD officials say. Air Force Lt. Gen. Ronald Kadish, director of the MDA, says the Israeli Arrow program stands out as an example of how fielding militarily useful capability in block increments and in a timely manner. With only four intercept flight tests, Israeli officials declared their first Arrow battery operational on Oct. 17, 2000, and fielded that country's first capability to defeat incoming ballistic missiles, he notes. Arrow, like U.S. Patriot batteries, has been used in the war against Iraq, Kadish notes. The Arrow has been operational for more than two years and during that time has conducted added intercept and flight tests to enhance the system's performance, he notes. "Plans are moving forward to augment it even further," Kadish says. "Surrounded by states having an active interest in ballistic missiles, Israel found a way to field a limited defensive capability on an accelerated timeline and at a time when it could not afford to wait for system testing to be completed."