(AKI) - The United States has agreed to deploy an early warning radar system in Israel to protect it from potential missile attacks and intercept Iran's nuclear-capable Shahab-3 missiles.Looks like Georgia might need one, too, though not to protect it from Medes and Persians.
The move follows an agreement reached after Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak and Gabi Ashkenazi, chief of staff of the Israeli Defence Force visited Washington in July.
American military personnel are expected to man the new radar system which will be based in the Negev desert in southern Israel. The system called 'X-Band' will be used along the Israeli 'Super Green Pine' system and linked to a US spy alert network. If attacked by a Shahab-3 missile, both systems will activate Israeli-made 'Arrow' interceptor missiles.
In July Iran's Revolutionary Guards successfully test fired various classes of missiles, including surface to surface and sea to air rockets during a large-scale military manoeuvre, dubbed the Great Prophet III.
Iran's missiles, which can be armed with nuclear warheads, have the ability to reach US bases in the region as well as Israel. Among the missiles tested in July was the Shahab-3 missile which can be equipped with a one-tonne conventional warhead and can hit targets within a range of 2,000 kilometres. This would enable it to reach any Israeli city.
The new system is due to be deployed before US President George W. Bush leaves office in January 2009.