David's Sling
David's Sling (Hebrew: קלע דוד, romanized: Kela David), also formerly known as Magic Wand (Hebrew: שרביט קסמים, romanized: Sharvit Ksamim), is an Israel Defense Forces military system jointly developed by the Israeli defense contractor Rafael Advanced Defense Systems and the American defense contractor Raytheon, that became operational in 2017. It is designed to intercept enemy planes, drones, tactical ballistic missiles, medium- to long-range rockets and cruise missiles, fired at ranges from 40 to 300 km (25 to 190 mi). David's Sling is intended to replace the MIM-23 Hawk and MIM-104 Patriot in the Israeli arsenal.
| David's Sling missile system | |
|---|---|
David's Sling weapons system Stunner missile launch during final milestone test | |
| Type | Medium to long range surface-to-air/anti-ballistic missile |
| Place of origin | Israel United States |
| Service history | |
| In service | Israel Defense Forces (2017–present) |
| Production history | |
| Designer | Rafael Advanced Defense Systems and Raytheon Missiles & Defense |
| Designed | 2009–present |
| Manufacturer | Rafael and Raytheon |
| Unit cost | US$1 million |
| Produced | 2017–present |
| Specifications | |
Detonation mechanism | Hit-to-kill kinetic warhead |
| Propellant | two-stage missile |
Operational range | 250 km (160 mi) |
| Maximum speed | Mach 7.5 |
Guidance system | AESA millimeter 3D radar + dual electro-optical/(FPA)/imaging infrared (CCD/IIR) seeker + asymmetric 360-degree multi-seeker sensor engagement + 3 way data link with advanced real time automatic and manual retargeting + ECCM & IRCCM |
Steering system | Asymmetric kill vehicle with super maneuverability |
The system's Stunner missile is designed to intercept the newest generation of tactical ballistic missiles at low altitude, such as the Russian Iskander and the Chinese DF-15, using on-board dual CCD/IR seekers to distinguish between decoys and the actual warhead of the missile, in addition to tracking by Elta EL/M-2084 Active electronically scanned array multi-mode radar. The multi-stage interceptor consists of a solid-fuel rocket motor booster, followed by an asymmetrical kill vehicle with advanced steering for super-maneuverability during the kill-stage. A three-pulse motor provides additional acceleration and maneuverability during the terminal phase. David's Sling became operational in April 2017.
David's Sling was meant to bolster the second tier of Israel's theater missile defense system. The name David's Sling comes from the biblical story of David and Goliath. It forms one level of Israel's future multi-tiered missile defense system, which also includes Arrow 2, Arrow 3, Iron Dome, and Iron Beam.