The Israeli Navy, the Ministry of Defense’s Directorate of Defense Research & Development, and the Israel Aerospace Industries completed an interception test using a BARAK LR (LRAD) Long Range Robust Interceptor. The LRAD interceptor is part of the BARAK Integrated Air Defense System that is an advanced Air & Missile Defense System that provides a single integrated solution for multiple simultaneous aerial threats from different sources and different ranges. The Israeli Navy’s Sa’ar 6 class corvette INS Atzmaut, which were declared operational during the ‘Swords of Iron’ War, are equipped with wide aerial defense layers combining kinetic and non-kinetic systems. The ‘Barak Magen’ aerial defense system and the LRAD long-range interceptor completed the Israeli Navy the ability to manage a wide variety of aerial threats. The test was carried out by the INS “Atzmaut” (Independence) missile ship.
Deputy Commander in Chief & Chief of Staff of the Israeli Navy, Rear Admiral Guy Goldfarb:
“The success of the trial and the operationalization of the additional hard defense system of the Sa’ar 6 class corvette missile ships, which are currently carrying out a variety of missions as part of the combat – in the Mediterranean and Red Seas, including the aerial defense mission which will strengthen the IDF’s capabilities in the face of a variety of threats. These vessels will continue to protect the State of Israel, its strategic assets at sea and will act to preserve the freedom of navigation towards the State of Israel and the routes leading to it.”
CEO of Israel Aerospace Industries, Boaz Levy:”IAI welcomes the fruitful cooperation with the Navy and the Ministry of Defense, which led to unique operational achievements of the defense systems. The company is engaged day and night in developing technologies that are adapted to conflicts in the region at this time, for the security of the State of Israel. Barak MX is an advanced air defense system based on medium-range MRAD, long-range LRAD and very long-range ER Barak interceptors. The system provides protection against a wide variety of threats, including cruise missiles, rockets and mortars, ballistics and more.”
BG Yehuda Elmakayes, Head of the research and development unit in the Directorate of Defence Research & Development:”The impressive success of the interception is a direct result of joint and long-term R&D efforts of the DDR&D, the Israeli Navy and the Aerospace Industry. The development of the ‘Barak Magen’ system and the long-range interceptor ‘LRAD’ demonstrate our ability to deal with evolving threats and provide advanced solutions to protect Israel’s national interests at sea. We continue to invest in research and development at sea, under the sea, on land, underground, in the air, in space and in the spectrum to ensure that our troops are always equipped with the most advanced technologies that will provide them with the operational-technological advantage.”
During the test, a precise rocket was launched at a target that simulated a strategic asset at sea, the ‘Barak Magen’ system detected, tracked, and classified the target as a threat and completed a successful interception process until the target was destroyed. This test is a proof of the system’s operational capability and readiness during combat. The ‘Barak Magen’ system is an advanced aerial defense system produced by the Israel Aerospace Industries, which incorporates a multi-mission radar that enables the detection of a variety of threats, their classification by the weapon system, and their interception by a long-range interceptor. The system has the ability to deal with a wide range of threats including Ballistic, Cruise Missiles, UAVs, and more. These days, as the IDF is dealing with a variety of aerial threats, from several arenas, both near and far, the operationalization of the ‘LRAD’ long-range interceptor will strengthen the Israeli Navy’s capability to achieve naval superiority.
INS Atzmaut is a Sa’ar 6-class corvette of the Israeli Navy’s Shayetet 3 Flotilla. She is the third ship of her class. The Sa’ar 6-class corvettes’ design will be loosely based on the German Braunschweig-class corvette, but with engineering changes to accommodate Israeli-built sensors and missiles such as the Barak 8 and the naval Iron Dome system. Elbit Systems has been awarded the contract to design and build the electronic warfare (EW) suites for the ships. The Sa’ar 6-class vessels have a displacement of almost 1,900 tons at full load and is 90 m (295 ft 3 in) long. They are armed with an Oto Melara 76 mm main gun, two Typhoon Weapon Stations, 32 vertical launch cells for Barak-8 surface-to-air missiles, 40 cells for the C-Dome point defense system, 16 anti-ship missiles Gabriel V, the EL/M-2248 MF-STAR AESA radar, and two 324 mm (12.8 in) torpedo launchers. They have hangar space and a platform able to accommodate a medium class SH-60-type helicopter.
