Missile Arrow 3

Development of the Arrow 3 began in August 2008 as an upper-tier component of a multi-tier air defense architecture. Initial fly-out tests in 2012 and 2013 validated the propulsion system and tracking sensors, with the interceptor reaching space and achieving hypersonic speeds. The first successful exo-atmospheric interception occurred in December 2015. In 2019, a series of flight tests in Alaska demonstrated the system's ability to intercept targets outside the atmosphere.

The system is a two-stage interceptor designed for the destruction of ballistic missiles during the space-flight portion of their trajectory. It employs hit-to-kill technology to achieve body-to-body interception of targets, including intercontinental ballistic missiles equipped with nuclear, chemical, biological, or conventional warheads. The kill vehicle is propelled by a solid rocket motor with a thrust-vectoring nozzle, providing divert motor capability for rapid maneuvers. Guidance is managed via an inertial navigation system and a gimbaled seeker that provides hemispheric coverage. Using proportional navigation, the seeker measures line-of-sight propagation relative to vehicle motion to align with the target's flight path. The system can be adapted for anti-satellite operations, utilizing sensors that pivot 90 degrees for detection. Interceptors are launched from fortified underground silos.

The system entered operational service on 18 January 2017. It is operated by Israel and has been exported to Germany as part of the European Sky Shield Initiative. The first elements of the German system were activated in December 2025. Azerbaijan has also evaluated the system for potential acquisition. Combat use was first recorded on 9 November 2023, when the system intercepted a missile launched from Yemen. Because the engagement occurred outside the atmosphere, it is identified as an instance of space warfare. The system was further employed in April 2024 to intercept a large-scale missile attack during the Iran–Israel conflict and was used again in September 2024 to intercept ballistic missiles launched during the Red Sea crisis.