U.S. Congress approves allocation of USD 133 million for development of Arrow missile project, joint Israel Aircraft Industries – Boeing company production line in Mississippi, Alabama. Also approved – funding of new missile to intercept short-range missiles apparently in possession of Hizbullah
The U.S. Congress has approved Friday the allocation of USD 133 million for the further development of the Arrow missile project
and for a joint Israel Aircraft Industries – Boeing company production line.
Boeing manufactured the Arrow missile in its Mississippi and Alabama factories.
Congress approved a total of USD 600 million for security-related deals with Israeli companies that cooperate with American manufacturers.
Anti-Missile System
Israel successfully tests Arrow / Hanan Greenberg
Israel Defense Forces carries out a successful test of Arrow anti-missile system; Arrow batteries intercept, destroy long range ballistic test missile in what army describes as most complicated maneuvers
Moreover, Congress has approved funding for the research and development of a new missile that will provide an answer to short-range missiles, which, according to Israeli and international intelligence sources, Hizbullah is in possession of.
The sum, which was approved by Congress in the framework of the Pentagon’s annual budget, is USD 150 million higher than that which the White House requested for joint security projects with Israel.
Millions more to upgrade drones
The funds approved for security deals and the Arrow missile program constitute an addition to the USD 2.28 billion in security aid the U.S. is set to transfer Israel in 2006.
Of the USD 133 million approved for the Arrow program, USD 63 million will be invested in developing the missile so it may provide an answer to future threats, while an additional USD 60 million will be funneled to the joint Israel Aircraft Industries –Boeing production line in Mississippi and Alabama.
Another USD 10 million dollars were set aside for the development of a missile capable of intercepting missiles with a range of several dozen kilometers; USD 37.4 million of the approved sum will be allocated for the purchase of a system that directs missiles toward their targets; the system was developed by RAFAEL (Leading R&D authority in the Israeli Defense Ministry).
In addition, USD 22 million will be used to purchase reactive protection systems, also developed by RAFAEL, for U.S. armored vehicles in Iraq.
Also, USD 17 million of the approved sum will be used to purchase anti-radar systems in fighter jets, and millions more will help upgrade Israel Aircraft Industries- produced Hunter and Pioneer drones and purchase special night-vision systems and helmets produced by Israeli Elbit Systems Ltd.
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