David's Sling Weapons System Stunner Missile intercepts target during its inaugural flight test. Photo: Wikimedia Commons.

JNS.org – Israel announced Wednesday that its new U.S.-supported missile defense system, dubbed David’s Sling, has successfully passed several trials on the way to a final test.

On top of the currently operational Iron Dome system, David’s Sling will protect Israel from short and medium-range rockets. It has thus far passed four trial runs in various scenarios at a testing site in central Israel. In the most recent test, the system identified a missile launch and notified the firing center, which then struck the targeted missile.

Yair Ramati, head of the Homa Directorate at the Israeli Defense Ministry, said David’s Sling will primarily serve as extra protection against any missiles launched at northern Israel, such as those from the Lebanese terror group Hezbollah. But the system will not be limited to the north.

“Using David’s Sling we can protect wide swaths of the State of Israel, regardless of where the Iron Dome batteries are deployed, allowing it to keep defending from the threat of (short-range) rockets as part of a synchronized system,” Ramati said, Yedioth Ahronoth reported.