Israel test-fired 150 km extended range Barak interceptors

Israel has completed the test of a new Barak extended-range interceptor that can destroy a target 150 km away. IAI said the new missile can shoot down fighter jets, cruise missiles, and other airborne threats.

The missile, which is part of the company’s family of Barak interceptors, can be launched vertically and also includes a rocket motor, a booster, and a radar homing seeker.

Boaz Levy, IAI president and CEO: “The evolution of airborne threats across the globe, combined with geopolitical changes, requires an advanced, agile, and versatile air defense system. The BARAK system was operationally proven against countless threats, including some of the most challenging ones today. The trial series we completed today enhances the proven capabilities against wider range of threats. The successful trial further demonstrates the robustness of the BARAK system’s based on IAI’s innovation, technological capabilities and decades of experience in developing air defense systems. The combination of several interceptors in a unified launcher and the inherent modularity of the BARAK system provide an optimal response for the future battlefield, offering the forces unprecedented operational agility and flexibility.”

The BARAK ER is a based on the Air & Missile Defense Division acclaimed and field-proven BARAK 8 family. Barak 8 was jointly developed by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), India’s Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO), Israel’s Administration for the Development of Weapons and Technological Infrastructure, Elta Systems and Rafael. The BARAK ER Interceptors have vertical launch capabilities supporting 360° coverage, quick reactions, short minimal ranges and an active high-end RF seeker for targets with low radar cross-sections and high maneuverability.

Barak (Hebrew: ברק‎, lightning) is an Israeli surface-to-air missile designed to be used as a ship-borne point-defense missile system against aircraft, anti-ship missiles, and UAVs. The Barak system is designed to replace or complement gun-based CIWS platforms, such as the Phalanx CIWS, with a more flexible and longer-range missiles.

The Barak 8 SAM has been jointly produced by Israel’s IAI, India’s DRDO, Israel’s Administration for the Development of Weapons and Technological Infrastructure, Rafael, Elta Systems, and other companies.

The missile has been designed to shoot down aircraft, helicopters, drones, anti-ship missiles, ballistic missiles, and cruise missiles.