Israel will deploy its latest early missile warning system to Ukraine this May to support the latter’s fight against the ongoing Russian invasion. At the same time, Israel will have the opportunity to test its latest equipment further.

According to reports citing officials from both countries, Israel will send its latest civilian alert system to Kyiv, which Israel developed specifically for Ukraine. Following thorough testing, the system will cover millions of Ukrainian citizens in several more cities, protecting them against Russian strikes.

No Interception Capabilities

The system will only feature alerts and will not be linked to interception capabilities. It will be connected to the Ukrainian radar system, enabling faster and more accurate sending of warning signals to citizens’ mobile phones in Kyiv. It will also activate sound signals in areas with an actual missile strike threat. With this, people in that specific area will know ahead of time that an imminent threat is coming. They can immediately seek shelter or get to safe zones without causing panic in non-threatened areas.

Despite Ukraine’s appeal to include missile interceptor capabilities, Israel refused, in order to avoid provoking Russia, which has a strong influence over its regional rival, Syria.

Israel and Ukraine have maintained diplomatic relations and cooperated on various issues since the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, including trade and cultural exchange. Moreover, Israel has supported Ukraine in its conflict with Russia, providing political and humanitarian aid and weapons. Regardless, Israel has also sought to maintain good relations with Russia, a major player in the Middle East, to avoid causing tensions.

Representatives from the Israel Defense Forces’ Home Front Command and Ukrainian defense officials met several times in Poland several months before discussing the details of the early missile warning project and determining the specific requirements needed to meet Ukrainian conditions. During the meetings, officials discussed various specifications, such as the geographical differences between Ukraine and Israel and the armaments Russia uses to assault Kyiv. These discussions helped Israel customize the system to suit Ukraine’s needs better.

Israel seeks to test the system through the pilot deployment, hoping to gain better insight to assess its effectiveness in covering the Ukrainian airspace. The gathered data in this test run will provide valuable information on the system’s performance and help refine its capabilities if needed.

Once the system successfully passes testing, Israel will further deploy it to several more Ukrainian cities, with the goal of achieving full operational status throughout the summer.

Israel first announced the early warning system last year, saying it could supply the war-torn nation with its cutting-edge technology. Moreover, Israeli officials reiterated this earlier this year and sent other forms of support to help defend Ukraine’s independence from Russian subjugation.

Previously Saved Hundreds of Lives

The missile warning system developed by Israel, known as the “Shavit” (Hebrew for comet), has been a lifesaver for hundreds of people during times of violence and attacks, particularly those caused by terrorist organizations in the Gaza Strip and Lebanon in recent years.

The system uses a combination of radar and electro-optic components to detect missile launches, classify their size and threat level, and accurately pinpoint danger zones on a map. With real-time trajectory and impact point calculations, the system can warn the public and activate air defense systems as needed, limiting alerts to specific areas of large cities.

Through sirens, phone alerts, and broadcasted messages via television and radio, the system has alerted citizens in Israeli cities at risk of missile strikes, giving them time to seek shelter and protect themselves from harm. Over the years, the system has undergone upgrades to ensure precision and accuracy in its warnings, making it one of the world’s most advanced missile early warning systems.

Given its success in Israel, it’s no wonder that Ukraine has turned to that nation for assistance as it defends itself against Russian aggression, which often uses Iranian drones. As Bradley Bowman, Senior Director of the Center on Military and Political Power at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD), notes, Israel’s decision to provide this assistance despite facing significant security challenges at home is commendable.

Bowman also emphasizes that Israeli technology enhances the security of its allies, stating, “[t]his is yet another example of Israeli technology helping to make the United States and its partners more secure.”

Since the onset of the Russian invasion last year, Israel has taken in thousands of Ukrainian war refugees. Additionally, Israel has struck at Iran’s ability to further arm Moscow with drones and missiles while providing valuable intelligence, armored ambulances, and other humanitarian aid to Ukraine. However, Jerusalem officials have refrained from supplying Kyiv with their advanced offensive weaponry, especially its sophisticated Iron Dome missile defense system, fearing that it could end up in Iranian hands.

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