Israel’s Ministry of Defense (IMoD) accepted delivery this summer of the first Boeing co-produced Arrow Weapon System to protect Israel against short- and medium-range ballistic missile threats.

Senior government and industry officials from the United States and Israel and key lawmakers attended a reception hosted by Boeing and Israel Aircraft Industries (IAI) on Capitol Hill on June 7 to celebrate a successful international partnership and marked last summer’s delivery of the first co-produced Arrow.

Boeing Missile Defense Systems in 2002 reached initial agreement with IAI on the joint U.S.-Israeli co-production of the system and a production contract was awarded to Boeing in March 2004 for production of major assemblies and subsystem components of the Arrow II interceptor as well as the canister assembly that houses the interceptor.

Maj. Gen. John Holly, deputy director of the Missile Defense Agency, said the agency is very pleased with the progress of the Arrow program.

“Arrow is a great example when it comes to government-to-government cooperation and Arrow is a great example when you look at industry-to-industry cooperation,” Holly said. “Any system will only be successful if both of those are working in very healthy relationships between the two countries and the industry representatives. Arrow has been tested and is a very viable defensive capability and we at the Missile Defense Agency use it routinely as a classic example of how to do business properly.”

Boeing Integrated Defense Systems President and Chief Executive Officer Jim Albaugh said, “I commend Israel for deploying the Arrow ground based missile defense system to protect that nation against very real threats while at the same time continuing developmental testing and system refinement.”

Albaugh noted the relationship between Boeing and IAI on a variety of cooperative programs dates back to 1970.

“Our partnership with the Israelis on this program continues the Boeing heritage of serving military customers around the world longer than any other aerospace company,” Albaugh added. “It is marked by consistent leading-edge technology and innovation to meet global security needs.”

The Honorable Daniel Ayalon, Ambassador of Israel to the United States, told the audience Arrow provides a strong protection of Israel and American allies from the growing ballistic missile threat.

“Defending Israel and American allies and preventing war is what the Arrow is really all about,” Ayalon said. “In 1991 Israel received 39 Scud missiles from Iraq because we didn’t have an answer, but today we do. Not just for defense, but also deterrence, against any potential rogue regimes who might attack Israel or any of the other American allies.”

Moshe Keret, President and Chief Executive Officer of IAI, credited visionaries who more than 20 years ago perceived the threat in the area that Arrow can now defend against.

“Arrow is unique in that it protects our citizens in Israel, our homes, our people, our institutions when they are threatened,” said Keret.

The Arrow program also has benefited from strong support on Capitol Hill. Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) commended the Boeing - IAI Arrow Team for driving the technological advancements that will provide for future security against this threat.

“We’re pleased the program has the support of the Department of Defense and is moving ahead more rapidly than initially envisioned,” Cochran said. “It is a successful program and gives us a capability to protect people in ways that otherwise would not be possible.”

Debra Rub, Boeing vice president of Integrated Missile Defense, explained Boeing is responsible for producing major sections of the Arrow interceptor such as the Section II electronics section, ceramic radome, first and second stage rocket motor cases, interceptor canister, avionics sub-systems and numerous lower level sub-systems, components and spares. Work is performed primarily in Huntsville, Ala.