JERUSALEM (AP) — Israel has called off a test of an advanced missile defense system, citing a communications malfunction.
The Defense Ministry said in a statement on Wednesday that the cancellation of the Arrow-3 trial "has no impact" on already operational Arrow-2 and Arrow-3 missile defense systems. The ministry canceled a similar trial in December.
Moshe Patel, head of Israel's missile defense arm, said that had "an Iranian missile" been launched at Israel, the Arrow-3 system would have still been used to intercept it.
Arrow-3 is part of the multi-layered system Israel is developing to defend against both short- and mid-range rockets fired from the Gaza Strip and Lebanon, as well as Iran's long-range missiles.
It was developed by Israel Aerospace Industries and U.S. aviation giant Boeing, and became operational in January 2017.