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Israeli air-launched balistic missile
The Sparrow (
Hebrew : אנקור , pronounced
[anˈkor] ) target missile is an Israeli
medium-range
air-launched ballistic missile produced by
Rafael Advanced Defense Systems .
[1] The missile is currently used as a
target missile to test the
Arrow anti-ballistic missile system.
[2]
[3]
[4] The missile has a modular warhead section and is capable of carrying a high-explosive warhead.
[5]
Versions
There are three versions of the missile: Black Sparrow, Blue Sparrow, and Silver Sparrow.
[5] The Silver Sparrow version is designed to simulate Iranian
Shahab-3 class ballistic missiles with a 1,500-2,000 km range.
[5]
[6] The Blue Sparrow has a total length of 6.51 metres (21.4 ft), weight of 1,900 kilograms (4,200 lb) and a range of 2,000 kilometres (1,200 mi) on a high ballistic trajectory.
[7]
The Rafael
ROCKS stand-off range
air-to-surface missile uses a Sparrow missile booster.
[8]
Operational history
The Silver Sparrow version was first tested on September 2, 2013.
[9] The launch from the Mediterranean was detected by a Russian ballistic missile early warning radar at
Armavir ,
[10] followed by Israeli acknowledgement of the test over an hour later.
[9]
The
Financial Times reported experts identifying the Blue Sparrow, from its booster remnants, as the missile most likely used in the
2024 Israeli strikes on Iran .
[7]
References
^ Daniel Estrin (September 3, 2013).
"Israel and US test Sparrow missile in Mediterranean" . Christian Science Monitor . Associated Press.
^ Jim Miklaszewski, Courtney Kube and Alastair Jamieson (September 3, 2013).
"Amid Syria tension, Israel test-fires missile over Mediterranean Sea" . NBC News .
^
" "Black Sparrow" Target Missile" . Arrow Weapon System .
Israel Ministry of Defense . Retrieved 2013-09-05 .
^ Joshua Mitnick (September 3, 2013).
"US-Israel missile test as Syria war tensions rise (+video)" . Christian Science Monitor .
^
a
b
c
"Israel Tests a new Target Missile Simulating Iranian Shihab 3 Missiles" . Defense Update . September 3, 2013.
^ Alon Ben-David (September 9, 2013).
"Israeli Missile Test Triggers Russian Warning System" . Aviation Week & Space Technology . Archived from
the original on November 1, 2013. Retrieved September 11, 2013 .
^
a
b Rathbone, John Paul; Zilber, Neri (19 April 2024).
"Military briefing: the Israeli missiles used to strike Iran" . Financial Times . Retrieved 24 April 2024 .
^
"Air Weapons: Rampage Rocks" . StrategyPage. 19 March 2019. Retrieved 24 April 2024 .
^
a
b Alisa Odenheimer & Calev Ben-David (September 3, 2013).
"Israel Carried Out Test Missile Launch: Defense Ministry" . Bloomberg.
^ Scott Rose (Sep 3, 2013).
"Russia Detected Missiles Launched in Mediterranean, RIA Says" . Bloomberg.
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