JERUSALEM – Israel and the United States have completed a successful flight test of the Arrow-3 ballistic missile interceptor, the Israeli Ministry of Defense announced on Tuesday.

At a test site in central Israel, the ballistic missile interceptor detected and destroyed a target in outer space, the ministry said in a statement.

The completion of the test was “an important milestone” for Israel to defend itself against existing and evolving threats in the region, said the statement.

Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz praised the test for “equipping the State of Israel with the capabilities to defend itself against developing threats,” adding the Arrow-3 system “provides Israel with the freedom to maneuver strategically.”

U.S. Missile Defense Agency (MDA) Director Jon Hill said in the statement that the test was designed to “challenge every element of the Arrow Weapon System, and it performed beautifully.” Hill added the MDA remains committed to assisting Israel in upgrading its missile defense capability.

The Arrow-3 weapon system is part of Israel’s multi-layer defense system, which includes Iron Dome, a system aimed at intercepting short-range rockets from Gaza, David’s Sling, a medium to long-range missiles defense system, and the long-range Arrow-3. In 2021, Israel said it was developing a new ballistic shield system, dubbed Arrow-4, jointly with the United States.