Israel Arrow 3 missile defense system. Photo: IDF.

The Defense Ministry announced Monday the successful test of the Arrow 3 missile interceptor in a joint-drill with the United States. The rocket, still in early stages of development, was not given a target to intercept.

The Defense Ministry said the Arrow 3 “flew an exo-atmospheric trajectory through space, in accordance with the test plan,” and added, “The successful test is a major milestone in the development of the Arrow 3 Weapon System and provides further confidence in future Israeli defense capabilities to defeat the developing ballistic missile threat.

The test  was conducted at an Israeli test range over the Mediterranean Sea, according to a statement released by the Defense Ministry.

The Arrow 3’s main improvement over its predecessor, the Arrow 2, is its ability to intercept enemy missiles at higher altitudes and to target non-conventional weapons of mass destruction.

Upon its expected deployment in 2016, Arrow 3  will join Arrow 2, Iron Dome and Magic Wand (also known as David’s Sling) in Israel’s “umbrella” defense against rocket threats.

Watch videos of Arrow 3 in action below: