"Israel" Seeks to Buy US Missile Defense System

‘Israeli' War Minister Ehud Barak hopes to buy a U.S. missile defense system to protect ‘Israeli' settlements from short-range rockets and mortar fire, ‘Israeli' war officials said Tuesday.

Barak plans to ask U.S. War Secretary Robert Gates to sell ‘Israel' the Vulcan-Phalanx cannon and radar system when he visits Washington in June, the officials said, speaking on condition of anonymity as the request has not yet formally been made.

The Vulcan-Phalanx - manufactured by U.S. company Raytheon Co._ is to be integrated into a multilayer defense-war umbrella that will include ‘Israel's' Iron Dome and two other missile systems being developed with the United States, the officials said.

During ‘Israel's' recent military offensive into the Gaza Strip, Palestinians there fired rockets more than 28 miles (45 kilometers) into the occupied territories.

The ‘Israeli' war ministry has been looking at anti-rocket systems since 2003 but put the search into high gear after the 2006 Israeli aggression against Lebanon, when Hizbullah launched nearly 4,000 Katyusha rockets into northern occupied territories.

Iron Dome, under development by state-owned weapons maker Rafael, is meant to counter Hizbullah's Katyushas and the more primitive Qassam rockets fired from Gaza. The laser-based system is expected to be ready for deployment next year.

Rafael is also working with Raytheon to develop a system named "Magic Wand" against medium-range missiles.

To meet long-range threats, such as an Iranian attack, ‘Israel' Aerospace Industries Ltd. and Chicago-based Boeing Co. are producing the Arrow missile, which has been successfully tested and partially deployed.

The most advanced version, the Arrow II, was specifically designed to counter Iran's Shahab ballistic missile, which is capable of carrying a nuclear warhead.

The Shahab-3 has a range of up to 1,250 miles (2,000 kilometers), putting ‘Israel' well within striking distance. ‘Israel' sees Iran as its biggest threat, citing the country's nuclear program and its development of long-range ballistic missiles.